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The Dunwoodie Books of Games 



BRIDGE 

BY 

STEVEN B. AYRES 



NEW YORK 

BRENTANO'S 

MCMIX 



The edition is limited and this copy is 
No. 

4\ 



^^^^^ 



Copyright, 1909 
By STEVEN B. AYRES 



ft»cAiif4^ from 
Copyright Off! CO. 



PREFACE 



While this little volume contains a fairly com- 
prehensive description of the forms of Bridge 
and the rules of the game corrected by the latest 
usage, it has not been designed as a book of 
instruction for beginners. Rather it is intended 
to elucidate the theory of play and to enforce 
certain doctrines and conventions which have 
proved their value. 



BRIDGE 



THE PRELIMINARIES 

Bridge is played with a full pack of fifty-two 
cards, and by four persons, two as partners 
against the others. Ordinarily the four who play 
do so by mutual agreement, but in the clubs all 
present who wish to play, draw cards from a full 
pack, spread face down. Those drawing the four 
lowest cards compose the table. The ace is low 
in cutting. Partners are also selected by draw- 
ing, the two cutting the lowest cards playing 
against the other two. In case of a tie those tie- 
ing draw again. 

The one who cuts the lowest card has the first 
deal. After the pack has been shuffled by the 
adversary at his left, and then by the dealer if he 
desires, it is cut by the adversary at the right. 
The dealer then distributes the cards, one by 
one, beginning at his left, till all are dealt. No 
card must be faced, for if an honor is exposed a 
new deal is obligatory, and if any lower card is 
exposed the adversaries have the right to a new 



6 



COUNTING 



deal, if they claim it. Such claim must be made 
before the hands are looked at. The dealer does 
not lose the deal. 

The dealer now looks at his hand and decides 
which suit shall be trump, or if he has sufficient 
high cards, makes it "no trump." If for any 
reason he does not wish to make the trump, he 
passes the decision to his partner by saying: "I 
pass," or "I bridge," or "You make it, partner." 
The dealer's partner, whose hand is called the 
dummy, must then make the declaration. There 
must be no other conversation during the make. 

THE COUNT 

A game at bridge consists of thirty points 
made by tricks. As there are thirteen tricks 
in each hand, there must necessarily be at least 
one odd trick, over six. Each trick over six, 
counts for the partners who win it. Each trick 
has value in accordance with the trump made. 
If trumps are spades each trick counts 2; if 
clubs, 4; diamonds, 6; hearts, 8; no trump, 12. 

DOUBLING 

The trump being decided, the adversary at the 
left of the dealer leads. But first, he has a right 
to double the value of the tricks. If he deems 



DOUBLING 



7 



his hand sufficiently strong to win at least the 
one odd trick, he says: "I double." But if he 
does not wish to double, he asks his partner: 
**May I play?" To this the partner replies: 
* * Yes, " or " Please do ; " or, if his cards are suffi- 
ciently strong, he says: '* No, I double." If either 
of the adversaries thus doubles, the maker of the 
trump has the right to double again. If he does 
not wish to redouble, he says: " I 'm satisfied." 
His partner now has a right to redouble, and he 
either does so, or says: I 'm satisfied." In other 
words, in case of a double the game does not 
proceed till each player has an opportunity to ex- 
press himself. But each must speak in the 
proper order, and when the value of each trick 
is settled, the elder hand must make the opening 
lead. As soon as this lead is made the dealer's 
partner spreads the dummy hand face upward on 
the table. It is customary to assort the cards 
into suits and lay them down in alternating 
color's, with the trump suit at the dealer's left. 
After exposing the cards the dealer's partner has 
nothing further to do with the play of the hand, 
except that it is his duty to see that the dealer 
does not revoke from his own hand. If the dealer 
does not follow suit, dummy should ask: " Fail- 
ing, partner?" or, "Having no , partner?" 



HONORS 



There are five honors in each trump suit, the 
ace, king, queen, jack and ten. When no trump 
is made the aces count as honors. The honors 
count to the partners holding them, and their 
value is as follows: 

When no trump is declared: 

Three aces in one or both hands count 30 

Four aces in both hands count . 40 

Four aces in one hand count 100 



When trumps are declared: 







* 


♦ 






2 


4 


6 


8 




4 


8 


12 


16 




8 


16 


24 


32 




16 


32 


48 


64 


Fourhonorsin onehand, fifth in partner's 


18 


36 


54 


72 




10 


20 


30 


40 




20 


40 


60 


80 




4 


8 


12 


16 


Double chicane (no trumps in two hands). 


8 


16 


24 


32 



And in either event: 

Little Slam (taking 12 tricks) adds. . 20 

Slam (taking 13 tricks) adds 40 

Doubling does not affect the value of the 
honors. 

THE RUBBER 

The best of three games constitute the rubber. 
If partners win the first and second games, the 
third is not played. To the score of those who 



SCORING 



9 



win the rubber is added loo points. The aggre- 
gate of the losing score is then deducted from 
the aggregate of the winning score, and the net 
result is the number of points won on the rubber. 
Each player wins or loses this aumber of points. 

SCORING 

The game is won with points made by tricks, 
but the honors are also counted. There are two 
methods of keeping score. The simplest and 
usual form is this: 



A&B 



lOO 

30 
4 
30 
16 

8 
2 



48 
262 
140 
122 



Y& Z 



30 
24 

32 



24 



12 

18 



140 



I St game 

2d game 
3d game 



lO SCORING 

Another form much in use is this: 



A 8 


i B 


Y & Z 


Game 


Honors 


Game 


Honors 


8 


16 


24 


32 


24 


30 






2 


4 


12 
18 


24 
30 


48 


30 






82 
80 


80 


54 

86 


86 


100 




140 




262 
140 






122 









The only advantage of this form is that it 
shows the honors held on each deal, which is 
advantageous if the score be questioned. 

The most convenient method of keeping the 
score is to use pads ruled like the one opposite. 
It is customary after each rubber to cut anew for 
partners, or to pivot around one player, and on 
each sheet of this pad may be kept the score of 
three rubbers and the net points won or lost by 
each player. 



SCORING 







— 


-f 


— 


+ 


— 


A 














B 














Y 














Z 














A+B 


V_l_7 
Y-l-Z, 


A _1_V 


r> 1 v 




r> 1 \r 




i 
1 

1 

1 

1 























THE PLAY 



The first and a very important duty of the 
dealer is to make the trump or pass the decision 
to his partner. The great importance of a proper 
make has been too little insisted upon. The cor- 
rect play of the cards has, of course, much in- 
fluence upon the result; but, after all is said, 
mistakes in play will ordinarily make a difference 
of but one or two tricks in a hand. This is not 
at all true of the trump make. With an ordin- 
ary hand a wrong decision means that the game 
is saved or lost. The dealer must, therefore, have 
a keen appreciation of the value of the hand, and 
bear constantly in mind the purpose in view, the 
making thirty by tricks, or the making of enough 
to go game, whatever the score may be. One of 
the first details to be learned is that the state of 
the score must not be forgotten. If you forget 
the score and make the trump regardless of it you 
will not be popular with your partners. 

Since a trick at no trump counts 12 and it 
takes but three odd tricks to make game even 
when nothing has been scored, the no trump 
make must always be first considered. It is my 
belief that no trump is not called as often as it 
should be. Whenever the hands of the dealer and 



NO TRUMP MAKING 



13 



his partner contain a preponderance of the high 
cards no trump can usually be made with safety. 
And all good players will doubtless agree that 
the play of a no trump make is much more enjoy- 
able than that of any other call. The oppor- 
tunities are greater in almost every direction, 
especially in the use of the finesse, and to make a 
final three or a four good for a trick by clever 
play gives a much keener delight than does the 
slugging of your adversaries with aces and kings 
of trumps. But since the chances of loss are 
also proportionately greater in this call, you 
must be reasonably sure of the odd when first you 
decide on the make. 

THE ORIGINAL NO TRUMP MAKE 

Since the pack contains four aces, four kings, 
and four of each other rank, it is obvious that if 
the hands were equal in strength each would con- 
tain one ace, one king and so on. The hand of 
average value is therefore considered to possess 
five honors. If the dealer's hand has in it seven 
honors it is quite above the average, and especially 
so if two of the honors are aces. In a long suit no 
cards are to be despised, least of all an eight, or 
nine, or ten. With an established suit all such cards 
are sure tricks. But it is a safe generalization 



14 



NO TRUMP MAKING 



that the Strength of a hand in honor cards deter- 
mines for or against the no trump make. The 
many treatises on bridge give various rules for de- 
termining the no trump make, but there is no 
other general rule safer than this: 

If the hand has seven honors^ of which two are 
aces^ it is a no trump declaration. 

It is readily conceivable that a hand like this 
might be arranged as follows: 

¥ A K lo 3 

♦ A lo 4 3 2 

* lo 3 
4^ lo 7 

This would be perhaps the weakest combina- 
tion of seven honors and would be a weak no 
trump make, two suits being almost entirely un- 
defended; and yet in the great majority of cases 
it will be sure of the odd trick and might readily 
go game. Consider the law of averages. There 
are twenty honors in the four hands. If the 
dealer has seven, thirteen remain in the other 
three hands. Now the chance is that one-third 
of these, or a fraction more than four, are in 
partner's hand. Add to the hand given above any 
four average honors and the odd trick will be 
won. Of course there will be times when part- 
ner will not hold the four honors, and then the 



NO TRUMP MAKING 



odd and possibly more, will be lost; but there 
will be just as many times when partner will hold 
five or six or more, and then the dealer is sure 
of game and possibly little slam. 

It is not to be understood that in all hands 
with seven honors the no trump make is best. 
When there is a great preponderance of one of 
the red suits, that suit might be indicated. Take 
the following hand: 

f A K lo 5 
^ A K J lo 

♦ 9 6 2 

♦ 87 

If the dealer here declare no trump he will 
probably secure the odd trick. But if he declare 
diamonds he gains 48 for the honor score, and is 
almost certain of two or three odd tricks. The 
diamond declaration is therefore preferable. 

There are also many hands without seven 
honors in which the no trump declaration is ad- 
visable. Four aces, without other honors, should 
of course be thus declared, because even if the 
adversaries obtain one or two odd tricks the 
honor score alone would make the declaration 
obligatory. Many players also declare no trump 
with three ' aces, even with no other honors. 
Their reason is this, that of the seventeen honors 



i6 



NO TRUMP MAKING 



in the other hands partner will hold six, and it is 
contended that nine honors including three aces, 
ordinarily constitute a more powerful combina- 
tion than eleven honors with only one or no ace. 

Many players also declare no trump when 
holding four kings and two other honors, all the 
suits being properly guarded. Whether such a 
declaration will win the odd trick is, I believe, in 
grave doubt, but such hands afford interesting 
play, and the ensuing fight for the odd trick is 
enjoyable. 

The theory upon which the no trump call is 
based is that the two hands containing eleven or 
more honors of average value ought to win the 
odd trick or more. In the long run this will 
surely happen. But in special instances the rule 
is modified by the value of the honors held, and 
also by the length* of any established suit. As an 
example take the following hand: 

f A 

♦ A 

♦ AKQ987S432 

♦ A 

Here we have but six honors. Yet it is im- 
material whether the partner assist with an honor 
or what the adversaries lead, — the hand will surely 
take all the tricks and make a big slam. Of 



SUIT MAKING 



17 



course a hand like this, or one approaching it in 
strength, is unusual. But a study of it only 
enforces this question, which the dealer must 
always ask himself before calling no trump: 

Have I a long suit established pr which can be es- 
tablished ? 

If the dealer has such a suit and sufficient 
guarded honors in the other suits so that he can 
prevent the adversaries from establishing a long 
suit against him, then the no trump call is 
usually proper. 

Writers upon Bridge give the following hands 
as those from which, as a general thing, the dealer 
should declare no trump: 

1 — Four aces. 

2 — Three aces. 

3 — -Two aces and a guarded suit of a king, 
queen with three, or king, jack, ten, with two. 

4 — One ace, with guarded kings in the other 
three suits or with exceptionally strong cards in 
each of the other suits. 

SUIT DECLARATIONS 

When the dealer feels he cannot safely declare 
no trump he is forced to consider the plain 
suits. Of these, other things being equal, he will 
of course prefer hearts, because each odd trick 
counts eight, and next in order, diamonds, when 



i8 



SUIT MAKING 



each odd trick is six. But to safely make a trump 
in suit it is requisite that the hand contain a large 
proportion of the trumps, or at least more than 
the average strength in trumps, and some tricks 
in other suits. 

The dealer cannot expect as much help from 
dummy in a plain suit as in no trump, and it 
consequently follows that while it usually is safe 
to declare no trump with four sure tricks in the 
hand, the dealer should have five tricks in order 
to declare hearts or diamonds. And of these five 
tricks, four ought to be in trumps. For example, 
if the dealer holds in the trump suit the ace, king, 
lo, 5, 3, he can consider that he has the four 
tricks, because if he lead his ace and then the 
king he will have exhausted all the trumps out- 
side of his hand, save two, and a lead of the 
3 should bring out those. His remaining trumps 
are then good for tricks. If, instead of holding 
the ace, king and three small, he holds the king, 
queen and three small, it is readily seen that the 
hand is a trick short, and it would then require 
that there be two tricks in it in the plain suits in 
order to make good the deficiency. If the dealer 
hold king, queen, jack and two small, he may 
safely consider that he has the four tricks. 

All calculations have to be based on the ordi- 
nary run of cards, and once in a while the 



THE HEART DECLARATION 19 

dealer may hold the requisite trumps and what 
seem to be sure tricks in a plain suit, only to find, 
in the play, that one of the opponents has an 
equally long suit of trumps and is able to ruff 
his plain suit. If this happen the dealer must 
get along as best he can. Even in such circum- 
stances he has as good a chance as his opponent. 

Holding six of a red suit it is usually right to 
declare trumps, although even with six it depends 
somewhat on the score. If your score is 20 or 
above you should not hesitate to make the trump, 
even if the six are all small, without an honor, 
because you will probably win the one or two 
odd tricks you need to make game. But with the 
score love all, to make on six small, without an 
honor, is not always wise, since more may be lost 
by honors than is gained by tricks. 

THE HEART DECLARATION 

All that has been said above applies to the 
heart declaration especially, but there are some 
hands with only four trumps that are heart 
makes. With four honors in his hand the dealer 
should declare hearts, even with very little sup- 
port in any other suit. This because he is likely 
to get support enough from dummy to win the 
odd, and because the four honors are worth 64 on 



20 THE HEART DECLARATION 

the honor score. The only exceptions to this rule 
are when : 

1 — The hand also contains four aces. 

2 — The score is 24 all or 26 all and there is a 
sure odd trick if diamonds or clubs be declared. 
As an example take the following hand: 

^ A K J 10 
^62 

4t Q J 10 9 7 6 4 
♦ 10 

• With the score 26 all in the rubber game clubs 
is the proper declaration. It is essential to make 
the odd trick, and while the heart declaration 
might win the odd, the club declaration is almost 
absolutely sure to do so. 

In general the dealer should declare hearts 
when holding: 

1 — Four or five honors in hearts. 

2 — Six hearts with one honor. 

3 — Six small hearts with some support in 
other suits. 

4 — Five hearts, including ace and king. 

5 — Five hearts, including three honors. 

6 — Five hearts, including two honors, with 
good support in other suits. 

Many good players also declare hearts when 
holding four, including three honors, with very 



THE DIAMOND DECLARATION 



Strong protection in the other suits. But such a 
declaration is very doubtful, and only to be re* 
sorted to in exceptional conditions. When the 
hand is strong enough in other suits to warrant 
a heart declaration from four, including three 
honors, the hand ought to be a no trumper. 

THE DIAMOND DECLARATION 

One of the commonest remarks made by the 
ordinary or garden variety of bridge players is 
this: "Oh, I do so hate to make it diamonds. 
Whenever diamonds are trumps I have such hard 
luck." It is not to be denied that there is a pop- 
ular prejudice against the diamond make. This 
unquestionably arises from two causes. It is 
difficult to make thirty by tricks with diamonds. 
It takes five odd. And it is disappointing to the 
average player to start out with eight or ten 
trumps in both hands, together with fair support 
in other suits, and to finish with only two or 
three odd tricks to his credit, counting 12 or 18. 
And the second reason is that many players are 
not careful to have sufficiently good cards when 
calling diamonds. They seem to regard the dia- 
mond call as of minor importance, and so "take 
a chance" they would not risk in hearts. The 
result of such a make is quite likely to be dis- 
astrous. 



22 



THE DIAMOND DECLARATION 



As a matter of fact the diamond make is one 
to be carefully considered. When a no trump or 
heart call is not possible, instead of calling 
spades, taking two points and passing the deal, 
the diamond make should be carefully regarded. 
Six points, or twelve or eighteen, make a good 
start in the game. With but six points to one's 
credit, on the next deal it takes one fewer tricks 
in either hearts or no trumps to go game. Every 
player must have noticed the large number of 
games when the score stands 24 all, or when six 
points are needed to go game on one side or the 
other. It is in such a condition that there is a 
deep and earnest desire on the dealer's part 
for about six or seven of the erstwhile despised 
diamonds. It is certainly the part of wisdom to 
take these six points right at the beginning of the 
game, if you have the chance, and can get no 
more. The dealer should therefore declare dia- 
monds holding: 

1 — Six diamonds with two honors. 

2 — Six small diamonds with fair protection in 

the other suits. 

3 — Five diamonds, including ace, king or 

king, queen, jack, with good protection 
in the other suits, especially when hold- 
ing two honors in hearts. 

4 — Four honors in diamonds, with or without 

good cards in the other suits. 



THE CLUB MAKE 

All the writers on Bridge ar^ unanimous in 
saying- that a club make on the part of a dealer is 
not permissible. They say, and certainly the argu- 
ment sounds good, that the dummy has a chance 
at three better declarations and there is only one 
worse, so the make should be left to dummy. 
This is all very well. But if anyone will watch 
four bridge enthusiasts through an evening's 
play, he need not be surprised to hear an occa- 
sional club call by the dealer. Almost all of 
these original declarations are when the dealer 
is making to the score. And certainly such 
makes are wise. If your score is 22 or 24 and your 
hand indicates two certain odd tricks in clubs, 
then that is the right declaration. Because the 
purpose of the make is to win the game. 

But in addition to these declarations to score 
conditions do arise — not often, but once in 
a while — when clubs should be declared. All old 
players are convinced, because experience proves 
it, that there is such a thing as luck at cards. 
Suppose now that your partner has been having 
a run of bad luck, so that he is compelled to call 
spades on nearly every hand you pass to him, and 



24 



THE SPADE DECLARATION 



the following or some similar hand comes to you: 

¥ 9 4 
♦ J 8 

4b lo 876432 
4^ 7 5 

If you pass to dummy and he makes it a red 
suit he must have seven sure tricks in his hand 
or you lose the odd. If he declares no trump 
your hand is of no possible help. If his hand is 
weak and he declares spades, then the opponents 
double and make from three to five odd trick9. 
In either event they have a fine start on the game 
and the next deal. 

In such circumstances the proper declaration 
is clubs. If dummy's hand is strong you win 12 
or 16 points with which to begin the game. If 
his hand is weak there will be an interesting 
struggle for the odd trick, with the chance in 
your favor. 

THE SPADE DECLARATION 

The custom on the part of the dealer of mak- 
ing the trump spades when his hand is entirely 
useless has now become well settled. A few old 
timers still hold out against what they term "the 
pernicious innovation." They say: This com- 
mercializes the game. It lessens the legitimate 



THE SPADE DECLARATION 



25 



chance for gain or loss in the play of the cards, 
which is and ought to be the chief charm of Bridge. 
The answer to this is: So does each conven- 
tion played. That is the effect of an agreed on 
system of discarding. The object of the dealer 
is to win the game himself or to keep the oppo- 
nent from winning it. It is just as legitimate to 
make the trump spades for this purpose as to 
make it spades to the score when the dealer needs 
two sure points for the game. 

But, whatever the argument, it has now be- 
come the custom among careful players to make 
the trump spades when the hand has not a trick 
in it, and especially if the dealer is having a run 
of bad luck. This does not happen often. In 
an evening's play there should not be many such 
makes. But there ought to be some. Yet the 
chief advantage in the custom is the confidence 
in his partner it gives to dummy. If the 
dealer believes in the original spade make, then 
dummy knows that the dealer will not pass a 
worthless hand to him. If the trump comes to 
him to make he knows his partner has some tricks 
in the hand and governs himself accordingly. 

Of course when one hand is entirely worthless 
this means that all the high cards are in the other 
three hands. Dummy should have, in these cir- 
cumstances, a better hand than the average, and 



26 



PASSING THE MAKE 



the immediate result of such a make is to hear 
dummy express some dissatisfaction and to show 
a hand with five or six fairly sure tricks. But 
when he reflects that in his own hand he should 
have at least seven sure tricks to win the odd he 
usually agrees that the declaration is wise. 

PASSING THE MAKE 

When the dealer finds that he cannot make a 
satisfactory declaration from his hand he must 
pass the make to dummy. This should ordinarily 
be done, unless the dealer can call no trump or a 
red suit, as has been previously remarked. There 
is also one consideration the dealer should not 
overlook, and this is, that dummy is just as likely 
to have strong cards in his hand as is the dealer 
himself. Dummy has the same interest in the 
game as the dealer, should know the score as ac- 
curately, and, on the whole, is likelier to make a 
safe declaration. 

As a general proposition, therefore, the wise 
dealer is conservative in his declaration. While 
he will not pass when he can make a safe call he 
will not force a weak hand and take chances 
which may result in disaster. When the dealer 
holds a hand containing good supporting cards, 
especially when these are divided among the 
four suits, it is often wise to give dummy a 



PASSING THE MAKE 



27 



chance. For example, if the dealer has cards 
something like this: 

¥ A 8 7 

♦ K Q 5 

♦ G 9 6 4 

♦ J 10 7 

This is a hand somewhat above the average. 
It has six honors and might be classed as a spec- 
ulative no trumper, because in ordinary play it 
would have all the suits stopped. But if dummy 
is a safe player it would be wise to pass the make. 
The hand will furnish support for any declara- 
tion that dummy may make. If dummy is strong 
enough to declare a red suit, even if he lack the 
conventional strength desired, the combined 
strength may give the dealer tricks enough for 
game. And if dummy is so weak that he must 
call spades, the adversaries will not go far if 
they double. 

In other words, if the dealer has a good de- 
fensive hand, and the score does not force a declar- 
ation, he should pass the make to dummy. 



DUMMY'S DECLARATIONS 



When the dealer passes the make it is dum- 
my's duty to declare the trump. Unless dum- 
my knows his partner's style of play this duty is 
somewhat puzzling. Of course the mere fact that 
the dealer passes is a declaration that his hand is 
not a strong one and, therefore, dummy should 
act conservatively. But if the dealer is accustomed 
to make it spades originally when his cards indi- 
cate that declaration, dummy may safely assume 
that the dealer's hand has fair strength, perhaps 
below the average, but yet capable of giving as- 
sistance in the battle to follow. It is certainly 
unfair to dummy for the dealer to pass the make 
when holding cards that are useless or nearly so. 

Having confidence then that his partner has 
not "thrown him down," dummy should proceed 
to declare trumps by the same rules that have 
been set forth above for the guidance of the 
dealer, taking care to see that his cards are 
quite up to the required value and avoiding spec- 
ulative makes. 

One consideration must appeal to dummy. 
He will reflect that any very strong suit in the 
dealer's hand must necessarily be black. If it 
were red the dealer would have declared it. If 
tempted then to declare no trump, he must see 



dummy's declarations 



29 



to it that his strong suits are red, or at least he 
must have the red suits thoroughly stopped. The 
first lead, when the make is a passed no trumper, 
is pretty likely to be hearts. It is quite true that 
he may find the dealer with the ace, king or two 
honors in hearts, and with a stopper in diamonds, 
but it is not safe to depend upon this. It is, on 
the other hand, reasonable to assume that the 
dealer has some strength in black suits, There- 
fore, with control of both red suits, it is ordinarily 
safe for dummy to call no trumps, even without 
any stoppers in black. This is not a make to be 
commended w^hen the score is something like 20 
to 20 in the rubber game, and when conservative 
play is desired, but it is a good speculative make 
at the beginning of a game. 

If dummy has one long suit in black, either 
clubs or spades, say ace, king, queen with three 
more, and the ace of hearts, with a stopper in 
diamonds, it is ordinarily a safer no trump call 
for him than for the dealer, because the elder 
hand will probably lead a red card to a passed no 
trump make. The dealer will accordingly get in 
with the ace of hearts and make six more tricks 
with his long suit before the adversaries can take 
advantage of the weakness shown in dummy's ex- 
posed hand. This fact, that his hand must be 
laid down, should restrain dummy from specula- 



dummy's declarations 



tive makes. The dealer may originally try many 
speculations that would be unsafe for dummy. 

It very frequently becomes dummy's duty to 
declare a black suit for safety. If the dealer has 
passed the make, showing a weak hand, and dummy 
has himself a weak hand, there is nothing left 
for him to do but to get out of the trouble as 
cheaply as possible. To do this he must declare 
the suit in which he thinks the adversaries can 
make the fewest points. Accordingly his first 
choice, other things being equal, will be spades, 
next clubs, then diamonds. The occasions for 
using diamonds as defensive are not common, but 
with such a hand as this: 

V J 4 2 

^ lo 8 6 5 4 2 
4t K 3 

4^ Q 5 

diamonds is surely the make. 

Clubs should be used defensively more often 
than is common. In this hand: 

f lo 8 5 

♦ Q 7 6 

♦ J 8 6 4 2 

♦ K 9 



dummy's declarations 



31 



or this: 

¥ J 7 4 

♦ 9 3 2 

♦ 10 8 4 3 

♦ A K 6 

clubs is unquestionably the correct declaration. 
With the former hand spades would be almost 
surely doubled and the value of each odd trick 
would be the same as if clubs were made, while 
the hand has much more defensive strength in 
clubs. In the latter hand the spades should take 
two tricks anyway, and the clubs have their value 
as trumps. If spades was declared from such a 
hand the clubs would be useless. 

But all such hands are exceptional, and the 
customary defensive make is spades. 

It is frequently dummy's duty to decide upon 
the trump when but one trick is needed to win. 
When the dealer's score is 24 or 26 and it is very 
essential to make four or six points, dealer will 
frequently pass the make if he has a mediocre 
hand, with some strength in each suit, but not 
enough preponderance in any to warrant a con- 
fident declaration. His purpose in this case is to 
have dummy call his strongest suit, and this 
should be done. For example, if dummy has four 
medium hearts and three medium cards in each 



32 



dummy's declarations 



of the other suits, he should declare hearts, even 
if both scores stand alike at 26 or 28. In 
this case the odd trick is what is needed. If it 
cannot be had the game is lost. The points 
that may be lost are not so important as that 
every effort should be made to win the odd. Of 
course this general statement is to be modified in 
special cases. If the dealer needs four points to 
win and the opponents need six, and if dummy 
has practically the same strength in clubs and 
diamonds, the correct call is clubs, because the 
odd trick will win for the dealer and will not win 
for the opponents. This exemplifies one of the 
most important maxims applicable to Bridge: 

The state of the score must be thoroughly con- 
sidered before each declaration. 



DOUBLING 

When the trump declaration has finally been 
made the adversaries may, if they wish, double 
the value of the trick. The method of doubling 
has already been shown, but it may not be amiss 
to go over the subject once more and emphasize 
the rule that the proper order of speaking should 
be observed. The elder hand speaks first. He 
either doubles or asks his partner, third hand, if 
he may lead. This is to give third hand a chance 
to double or decline. If either of the opponents 
double, the maker of the trump has the first right 
to redouble, and if he declines, then his partner 
may double. And so, if the dummy redouble, 
the original doubler has the first right to go 
back again. The limit of doubling is when 
the value of the trick passes loo. Therefore, the 
practical limit of value of spades, clubs and hearts 
is 64 each trick, and of diamonds and no trump 96. 

If anyone speaks out of his turn in doubling 
the opponents have the option of accepting or re- 
jecting the double. A case like the following 
may arise: After the trump is made the elder 
hand (the original leader), not wishing to double 
and forgetting to ask his partner, draws a card to 
lead. Before it is exposed the third hand might 
say: "Wait, / double." But this double may 
be accepted or rejected at the option of the orig- 



34 



DOUBLING 



inal maker. This rule may seem unfair to the 
third hand, but it is based on the principle that a 
player must suffer from the mistakes of his part- 
ner. When one seats himself at a bridge table he 
takes his partner for better or worse. This prin- 
ciple must be accepted as governing all the moot 
points of the game. Some people are absent- 
minded. If the dealer, having fully decided, let 
us say, to make it hearts, should mis-speak and 
say spades or clubs, and before he corrected his 
mistake the elder hand should double or ask to 
lead, then the mistake must stand. He could, of 
course, correct his error before anyone else had 
spoken, but after another player has taken action 
consequent upon the mistake, it cannot be 
changed. 

Usually, when a player feels like doubling, it 
is better not to do it. To win the odd trick 
against the usual no trump or red suit declaration 
the hand must be exceedingly strong, at least two 
tricks stronger than the requirement for an orig- 
inal make. This is because the doubler can ex- 
pect little or no help from his partner. 

These considerations do not apply to the 
doubling of a spade declaration, because that is 
often the result of weak hands. It is considered 
safe to double spades with four or five reasonably 
sure tricks in your hand. But, even so, it isn't 
wise to double spades unless there is something to 



DOUBLING 



35 



be gained by it. The condition of the score 
should govern the spade double. For instance, 
if the score stands 12 to o in your favor you 
should double spades, even if you can only make 
one odd trick, because the one trick would make 
your score 16. Two heart tricks on your next 
deal will then win game, where it would have re- 
quired three without the spade. On the other 
hand, if it is a new game, with nothing scored, it 
does not pay to double spades unless you are 
pretty sure of making at least two odd tricks. 
In his interesting bridge treatise, Mr. Fisher 
Ames gives the following table, showing how 
many tricks are required in each suit to go game 
at any state of the score: 



Score 


No 
Trump 


Hearts 


Dia- 
monds 


Clubs 


Spades 





3 


4 


5 






2 


3 


4 


5 


7 




4 


3 


4 


5 


7 




6 


2 


3 


4 


6 




8 


2 


3 


4 


6 




10 


2 


3 


4 


5 




12 


2 


3 


3 


5 




14 


2 


2 


3 


4 




16 


2 


2 


3 


4 


7 


18 




2 


2 


3 


6 


20 




2 


2 


3 


5 


22 




I 


2 


2 


4 


24 




I 


I 


2 


3 


26 




I 


I 


I 


2 


28 




1 


I 


I 


I 



36 



DOUBLING 



It is easy to see that at the beginning of a 
game unless you make two odd on a doubled 
spade you are really no better off than before. 
At the score of four it takes just as many tricks 
to go game as if you have none at all. That is, 
barring a big slam in clubs. 

It is nevertheless true that occasions arise when 
doubling is almost obligatory. When the dealer 
declares no trump and you are at his left, holding 
a long suit of six or seven headed by ace, king, 
queen, and also anotherace or guarded king, then 
if you double your partner should have no cause 
to complain. If dealer declares hearts and you 
have five with three honors, together with an ace, 
king suit and another ace or guarded king, it 
should be safe to double. But even with such a 
hand you might not win the odd if the maker 
were at your left. Your hand might be led 
through and some of the honors killed. This is 
important to remember, that a strong hand at 
your left is not to be trifled with. 

One consideration do not forget. When the 
trump has been made red it means that the maker 
has five or more. With five or more trumps he 
probably has a short suit. The chance is all in 
favor of that short suit being the same as your 
strong suit. Therefore you cannot be at all sure 
of making more than one trick on your ace, king. 



DOUBLING 



37 



queen suit before the dealer ruffs it. It is quite 
necessary that you have trumps enough to 
clear up your adversaries' trumps and establish 
your suit. In other words, never double a red 
make unless you are exceedingly strong in trumps. 
Great strength in the other suits is not alone suf- 
ficient. 

Some old players use these three rules, the 
value of which long experience has proved: 

Never double a red suit make with less than six sure 
tricks. 

Double the make of the adversary at your left with 
great caution. 

Never double a no ti'ump call without a long es- 
tablished suit. 

What is called the " heart convention " is now 
almost universally played. It is this: If pone 
(third player) doubles a no trump or heart decla- 
ration the elder hand shall begin the play by lead- 
ing his highest heart. The advantage of this 
custom against a no trump declaration is that if 
pone holds a long established suit and the ace of 
hearts he can safely double, because with hearts 
led he will at once get in. The disadvantage is 
that even if pone holds a doubling hand without 
control of hearts he cannot safely double. 

There are some positions of the score when to 
double is justifiable, even if you only have a fair 



38 



LEADING 



chance for the odd trick. If your opponents are 
24 and you are 18 or 20 and diamonds is called, 
it is wise to double if you have a fair chance of 
obtaining the odd trick with a little assistance 
from partner, because the odd trick will give 
you game. If the opponents win the odd they 
go game, either way, and you only lose six or 
twelve extra points. But if you win the odd you 
go game with the double, while you would not 
without it. There are other positions of the score 
which should modify your actions, and these will 
occur to you if you keep careful watch of the 
score. Suppose your opponents are 26 and the 
dealer makes it spades. Whatever the state of 
your own score and even if you have a hand on 
which you would ordinarily double, it is wise to 
avoid it. 

Observation will prove that the safe, conserv- 
ative player does not do much doubling. 

LEADING 

The declaration thus made, the doubling set- 
tled, play begins. Since the dealer plays both 
his own and dummy's exposed hand, he knows 
precisely what cards he has and plans his play to 
suit himself, subject to no conventions. None of 
the rules for leading printed in the books are for 
the dealer — they are all for the elder hand and 



LEADING 



39 



his partner, who must get along as best they can, 
acquiring knowledge of each other's hands from 
the leads and discards. 

It may be premised that the declaration in- 
fluences the lead materially. When no trump is 
declared experience has proved that long suit 
play is best, while against a plain suit declara- 
tion an entirely different style must generally 
be adopted. To generalize, it may be said that 
the leader has two questions to decide. They are: 

What suit shall be opened 2 

What card shall be led from that suit? 

The first of these questions the leader must 
decide for himself. It is a matter of judgment. 
A proper decision will prove that the player has 
good bridge material in him. The second ques- 
tion has for the most part been already settled by 
experience, and the lead of the correct card is 
thus a mere question of memory, or, in an old 
player, a matter of habit. This distinction ex- 
plains why we see some old players, fond of the 
game, whose memory is excellent, and who thus 
invariably lead the proper card, yet who lack the 
inspiration necessary to properly decide the indi- 
vidual questions that arise, such as the proper 
declaration and the best suit to open. 



LEADING WHEN TRUMP IS 
DECLARED 

Against a trump declaration the correct play- 
on the part of the elder hand and pone is un- 
questionably to make what tricks they can with 
their high cards before the dealer gets in, when he 
will try to exhaust trumps and bring in his long 
suit. After they have harvested what is plainly 
in sight, then it will be time to try to force the 
dealer or capture a trick or two in trumps. 

When a trump suit has been declared by 
dealer it is reasonable to suppose that his hand is 
long in trumps and necessarily short somewhere 
else. The suit the leader is long in some one 
else must lack, probably the dealer. Unless the 
leader can win the first trick in the long suit or 
clear the suit so that he is sure of the second, it 
is usually better to start with something else. 
No matter what the trump, it is wise for the elder 
hand to take the first trick, if he can do so with- 
out spoiling his hand, in order to see what 
dummy puts down. If he has a suit headed with 
ace, king, let him lead the king. When he sees 
dummy's cards he can tell whether to con- 
tinue it. The choice of the suit depends very 
much upon the trump strength in the hand. If 
the leader have four or five trumps it would be 



LEADING WHEN TRUMP IS DECLARED 4I 



entirely safe to lead a singleton, in order that he 
might have the opportunity of trumping the sec- 
ond round, or of discarding if the suit proved to 
be one over which pone had control. Even if he 
have but one or two trumps the leader sometimes 
gains by leading a singleton. But many times a 
lead of this kind is dangerous, because the 
chances are, of course, that the dealer and dum- 
my will have control of any suit in which the 
leader is so weak ; and if this is so the leader 
merely hastens what he ought to avoid, the ex- 
hausting of trumps by dealer and the bringing 
in of dealer's long suit. Usually it is not wise to 
begin with a singleton when the leader is very 
weak in trumps and has any other good suit. 

Ordinarily a good suit to lead from is an ace, 
king, or ace and one small. Lead the ace and 
take a look at dummy's hand, then follow with 
the other card unless something dummy has 
causes a change of plan. One or two tricks will 
thus have been won and the chance to trump be 
gained. 

It is bad play to open a suit in which there are 
two honors not in sequence, or one honor and 
two or three small, unless the honor is an ace. 
The result of such an opening is customarily dis- 
astrous. It is bad play to open with a small card 
when holding the ace. 



42 LEADING WHEN TRUMP IS DECLARED 



The best openings are from suits headed by 
ace, king or ace, king and queen. If there be no 
such suit then lead from a suit in which there are 
two or three honors in sequence, such as king, 
queen, jack or king, queen or queen, jack, ten. 
If there be no such suit the alternative is to try 
the short suit and trust to chance. Here are 
four hands, taken at random, diamonds being the 
declared trump in each case: 

I 2 

f K Q 7 6 4 V 5 3 

♦ K 9 5 * Q 8 7 

♦ J 7 3 ♦ Q lo 9 8 4 

♦ 6 4 4^ Q lo 5 

3 4 
V J 10 8 V A. 9 2 

4bA42 dS»J 10 63 

♦ A 5 2 ♦ K 6 

^ A K 8 7 ♦ J 9 3 2 

Following the suggestions made it is easy to 
see that from hand i the initial lead should be 
the king of hearts, from hand 2 the five of hearts, 
from hand 3 the king of spades, and from hand 4 
the jack of clubs. If hand 4 had two more small 
hearts and one fewer each of clubs and spades, 
then it would be wiser to lead the ace of hearts. 
Play any two of these hands against the other two 
and the wisdom of these leads will be apparent. 



THE CARD TO LEAD 

When the suit to open has been decided upon 
it is of course quite necessary that the proper 
card be lead. What is the proper card from any- 
given combination has been well settled by ex- 
perience. It has been found that certain leads 
will, in the long run, produce the best results, 
and these leads have thus become conventional 
and now have a supplemental value, in that they 
give the partner information as to the remaining 
cards in the hand. Many good players believe 
that this information giving power does more 
harm than good, because the dealer can gain 
more advantage from it than can the partner. 
But aside from the lead of the fourth best, and 
as to the advisability of this convention there is 
endless discussion, the principal advantage 
gained by following these settled leads is to the 
leader's hand, the informative qualities being a 
sort of side product. These conventional leads 
are well set forth in Mr. Foster's "Complete 
Bridge," and his arrangement is here in the main 
followed. 

King should be led from all combinations when 
the hand also contains the ace or queen and others. For 
example: 

Ace, king, queen, jack, with or without others. 



44 



THE CARD TO LEAD 



Ace, king, queen, with or without others. 
Ace, king, jack, with or without others. 
Ace, king and others. 

King, queen, jack, with or without others. 
And also king, queen, with or without others. 

Ace should be led from all suits which do not also 
contain the king^ and ace should be led fi^om ace and 
king alone. For example: 

Ace, queen, jack, ten, etc. 

Ace, queen and others. 

Ace, jack and others. 

Ace and small. 

Ace, king. 

It must be said that many of these suits are 
exceedingly undesirable to open, especially against 
a trump declaration, but when forced to open a 
suit headed by the ace, without the king, always 
lead the ace. In other words, never lead away 
from the ace. 

Queen should be led when accofnpanied by the jack 
and others^ or jack and ten., with or without others. For 
example: 

Queen, jack, nine, seven, etc. 

Queen, jack, ten, nine, etc. 

Queen, jack, ten. 

Queen should never be led when there is a 



THE CARD TO LEAD 



45 



higher card of the suit in the hand. Queen 
is also sometimes lead from queen and one small 
when beginning with -a short suit. 

Jack should be led only when it is with the ten and 
two or more others^ or is the top of u sequence of three 
or four. For example: 

Jack, ten, nine, eight. 

Jack, ten, six, four. 

The jack lead is a very unsatisfactory one and 
should only be resorted to when nothing better 
can be done. Jack is led from jack and one 
other when opening from a short suit. 

Ten is led from king., jack., te?t^ with or with*- 
out others., and it is also led when it is the ' ' top of 
nothing. " 

The first lead of ten is purely conventional, 
but it is a well settled convention and should be 
followed. When a ten is led partner is entirely 
justified in expecting to find the king and jack 
in the leader's hand. The other lead of the ten 
is unusual, because a hand in which the ten and 
two or three small is the best suit is in itself 
unusual. Yet such hands do occur. When part- 
ner finds, upon returning your lead of the ten, 
that you have not the king, he concludes that 
your hand is of small value. 



SMALL CARD LEADS 



If there is no suit that can be opened with a 
high card it will frequently happen that the leader 
is compelled to begin with a suit which has king 
or queen and two or more others. This is not a 
desirable suit to open from, but often it is the 
best that offers. In this case either the fourth 
best or the smallest card should be led.* If you 
have considered the subject thoroughly and have 
decided that the fourth best theory of play is ad- 
visable, then stick to it. In either event, since 
so many players believe in the fourth best lead, 
partner should be told whether you do or do not 



* THE FOURTH BEST THEORY 

The play of the fourth best, counting from the highest card, was 
invented to give the partner some idea of how the unplayed cards are 
placed in any suit led. Counting the jack as ii, the queen as 12, the 
king as 13 and the ace as 14, it is apparent by simple subtraction, that if 
the leader begins his suit with an eight, there are unplayed six cards of 
greater value. Now if the eight is his fourth best the leader himself 
has three better cards left. Eliminating the leader's three we have 
what is called the Eleven Rule. Take the value of the card led from 
eleven and you have the number of unplayed cards better than the 
card led out against the leader. If the eight be led and dummy shows 
a ten and pone has the queen, for example, he knov/s that the dealer 
also has one card better than an eight. If pone stops to analyze a bit 
farther he can draw a number of inferences. First, assuming that the 
elder hand doesn't have the bad habit of leading away from an ace, he 
knows that the card the dealer holds must be the ace. It cannot be the 
nine or jack, because that would leave the leader with ace and king, and 
in that event he would have led the king. It cannot be the king, because 
in that event the leader must have had ace, jack, nine, and from that 
combination he would have lead the ace. So the dealer must have the 
ace, and the leader must have led from king, jack, nine. 

And the second inference the pone may draw is that the leader can- 
not have a strong hand or he would never have opened so unpropitious 
a suit as one headed by king, jack and nine. 

When the fourth best card, led by dealer, is smaller than an eight, 
pone is usually unable to form any definite conclusions about the placing 
of the remaining cards. 



SMALL CARD LEADS 



47 



follow that convention, so that he may know 
what to expect. My own conclusion, after try- 
ing to study the theory with unbiased mind, is 
that against a trump declaration the lead has no 
advantage whatever over that of the smallest 
card. That, on the contrary, it clutters up the 
game with a useless formality and strains the 
memory to retain facts which, when remembered, 
are of little or no value. But I am also con- 
vinced that against a no trump declaration the 
play has occasional value. A few times during 
an evening's play the information conveyed to 
partner is valuable and gains tricks. It will also, 
but rarely, be the means of losing a trick. 



LEADING WHEN THERE IS NO 
TRUMP 

The best results against a no trump make are 
generally attained by leading from the long suit. 
Each card of an established suit is good for a 
trick, provided the holder has the lead. It should 
be the aim, then, of the leader and his partner, to 
establish a suit in order to make all the cards 
good. Such a suit as king, queen, jack and two 
or three others can generally be established in 
one lead, although if the dealer holds the ace 
against it he may finesse for one or two leads, in 
order to destroy the ability of the leader's partner 
to give back the suit should he get in. 

In general the play against a no trump make 
is exactly the contrary of the play against a trump 
make. Till the long suit is established, assuming 
that there is a long suit, the high cards that are 
good for tricks in other suits should be preserved, 
in order to serve as cards of re-entry and that 
they may be used to prevent the establishing of 
the dealer's long suits. 

The lead is a great advantage and it should 
not readily be abandoned; so if the leader has in 
his hand a suit headed by ace and king, and also 
a long suit which is not established, it is often 



LEADING WHEN THERE IS NO TRUMP 49 

wise to Open with the king, in order to take 
a look at dummy's cards. Then, if there is noth- 
ing in the hand which causes a change of plan, 
open the long suit. This also shows partner the 
leader's card of re-entry, and he knows he can 
always put him in by leading the first suit opened. 

It will not often happen, however, that the 
leader is so fortunate as to have two such suits, 
and usually he must content himself with open- 
ing from a suit of five, headed with perhaps two 
honors, preserving any spare aces or guarded 
kings he may have, in order to get the lead later, 
if it should be lost in clearing the long suit. 

Often the dealer makes no trump when he has 
strong cards in three suits, depending on dummy 
for protection in the fourth. If dummy does not 
have this suit stopped, and the chance is rather 
against it, the leader and his partner may get in 
four or five tricks before the dealer is able to take 
one. This chance is one of the reasons why it is 
wise to open from the long suit. 

Since the long suit play is so effective at no 
trump, many occasions arise when the proper lead 
from any given combination is different from that 
set down under the leads against trump makes. 
When the suit opened is not already established, 
it is the purpose of the leader to induce the oppo- 
nents, and also his partner, to plray those high 



5© LEADING WHEN THERE IS NO TRUMP 



cards which obstruct his own complete control. 
To attain this purpose the card led will somewhat 
depend upon the strength of his own hand in 
other suits. From the following hand, 

V J 9 3 

* Q 2 

♦ A Q J 7 5 4 
4 7 4 

if the leader opened the diamonds against a plain 
suit declaration he would lead the ace. But if it 
were no trump he would begin with the jack. 
The reason is very plain. He must force out the 
king to establish the suit. If partner hold the 
king and only one more he should put on the 
king and return the small card, while if he hold 
king and two small he would put king on the 
second round and then return the small. If 
either of the opponents hold king and one small 
he must take the first trick to save his king. In 
this case when the leader's partner gets in he can 
probably return a diamond. If the hand above 
had a card of re-entry, such as another ace, the 
better way to begin would be with the ace, fol- 
lowing with the queen. 

The same reason obtains in leading from a 
sequence against a no trump make. Take long 
suits like these: 



LEADING WHEN THERE IS NO TRUMP 5 1 

f K Q J 8 6 4 

♦ Q J 10 9 7 2 

I believe that the best results are attained by- 
leading from the lowest card of the sequence. If 
the elder hand lead the king from a heart sequence 
like the one above, if his partner hold the ace and 
two small, he is often in a quandary as to what is 
wise to do. Partner cannot tell whether the lead 
is from king, queen or king, queen and jack. If 
the jack be lead originally partner will certainly 
put on the ace and return the suit, while the lead 
is just as effective if the ace is in the hand of the 
maker or dummy. 

The two hands must of course be played as 
one, so far as is possible, and if there is any suit 
in which the leader and his partner have nine or 
ten cards between them, that is certainly the suit 
to begin with. In leading the problem is, of 
course, to find this suit. There are certain hands 
with which the leader can generally afford to ex- 
periment a bit, with a view of finding partner's 
suit. One kind is that in which the leader has a 
re-entry in two or three suits, and in the other has 
three or four cards which might be useful for 
support if partner is strong in it, and which would 
stop the control in case he is not. Let us watch 
the play of the following hands: Z deals and 
makes it no trump. A leads from such a suit. 



^ A 8 6 4 

♦ A K 7 

♦ K 

♦ J 9 3 2 




V K Q 9 

♦ Q lo 6 4 3 

♦ A Q 3 

lO 



Trick 


A 


Y 


B 


— * 
Z ^ 


I 


9 4 


7 4 




A 4 


2 




^ * 


8 4b 


Q * 


3 




9 4 


44 




4 


A 4> 


J ♦ 


9 4k 


3 4» 


5 


J ♦ 




5 ♦ 


9 ¥ 


6 


3 ♦ 


5 ¥ 


8 ♦ 


3 ♦ 


7 


4 ¥ 


10 f 


6 ♦ 


9 ♦ 


8 


A V 


^ ♦ ■ 


J V 


Q ¥ 


9 


3 V 


6 ♦ 


7 ¥ 


K ¥ 


lO 


7 4k 




4 ♦ 


1° 4b 


II 


6 V 


8 ♦ 


5 ♦ 


6 * 


12 




9 ♦ 


7 ♦ 


4 4b 


13 


K ♦ 


J ♦ 




A ♦ 





LEADING WHEN THERE IS NO TRUMP 53 



The dealer wins the odd. If upon the first 
lead of the spade nine the dealer should put the 
queen from the second hand, and it would be a 
tempting thing to do, A B win the odd. 

In general it may be said that leading against 
a no trump make is experimental. The object 
to be gained is to obtain command of some suit 
and be able to lead it. It is, accordingly, 
wise to lead from your own long suit. If you 
have good cards, but no long suit, then go a 
fishing to find your partner's long suit. 

Some players believe in always leading a red 
suit, preferably hearts, against a no trump make 
by dummy. They argue that the dealer cannot 
be strong in hearts or he would have declared 
that suit. And upon the same theory such players 
prefer not to lead a black suit, especially spades, 
against a passed no trump or heart make. It is 
probably true that, if your hand warrants, it is 
better to lead a red suit to such a make. If you 
have a red suit and a black one, about alike in 
strength, lead the red. But, of course, if your 
long, strong suit is black, lead it. 



THE THIRD HAND 



The third hand is the leader's partner, and sits 
at the right of the dealer. His play is just as 
important as the leader's, and requires close 
attention to the fall of the cards. Since the 
dummy hand is exposed after the initial lead, 
third hand plays with the advantage of knowing 
dummy's cards. That sometimes makes a slight 
difference in the card played on the first lead, and 
frequently makes a great difference in the card 
returned. Third hand should try to be as helpful 
as possible in the leader's suit and give him all 
the information possible concerning his own 
strong suits. If the leader begin with an ace 
king suit, third hand should show him by the 
discard whether he- has two or more of the suit. 
If he has but two, say the six and three, he should 
indicate that by playing the six first, following 
with the three. If he has three or more he should 
play the smallest card first. This is important, 
because if third hand has a short suit, a trick can 
often be made against a trump declaration by 
trumping the third lead. The first rule then is 
this: 

Show your partner if you are short in his strong 
suit. 



THE THIRD HAND 



55 



On the other hand, if the leader begin with a 
small card it is the duty of third hand not to 
finesse, but to put on the highest card and take 
the trick. For instance, and this is true of trump 
and no trump play, if third hand hold ace and 
queen of the suit lead, he should put up the ace 
and take the trick. Of course, if the king should 
be among dummy's cards, the play of third hand 
will depend on the card played second hand. If 
the king does not go up on the lead, then it would 
be proper to take the trick with the queen. But 
this play is not a finesse. Finessing is endeavor- 
ing to take a trick with a card that you do not 
know to be good, when you have a better card in 
your hand. To make this attempt in the suit 
your partner leads is ordinarily a bridge crime 
of the first magnitude. And this brings us to the 
second fixed rule for third hand play: 

Do not finesse 07i your partner's lead. 

Suppose, however, that a small card is lead, 
and that you, as third hand, hold both ace and 
king, or even ace, king and queen. In such cir- 
cumstances third hand should always take the 
trick with the lowest of the sequence. If you 
put on the ace the leader will not know where 
the king is, while if your king takes the trick he 
locates the ace in your hand. 

Third hand must examine dummy's cards closely 



THE THIRD HAND 



before returning the lead. Reasons may be seen 
there for changing the suit. Ordinarily it is wise 
to return the original suit. The leader has high 
cards in the suit which may be good, or he led 
from a short suit. In either event he wants his 
lead returned. Unless dummy's cards are such that 
a return of the suit is manifestly unwise, it should 
be done. It may be that third hand has a strong 
suit of his own, headed with an ace and king. If 
so, it will probably be best to take a trick with 
the king, to show the suit, before returning the 
original lead. 

If third hand has no strong suit, and the orig- 
inal suit cannot be returned, then lead the suit in 
which dummy is weak. If dummy has a suit 
headed with ace, queen, or ace, jack, it certainly 
would be wrong to lead into that, because if your 
partner has high cards of the suit they would 
only be sacrificed. Lead through strength and 
up to weakness. 

If you decide at the fall of the first round or 
two, that you and your partner have control of 
two suits and sufficient protection in the third, 
do not be afraid to lead trumps, even if you 
are weak in them. Such a lead would be especi- 
ally indicated if dummy have only a trump or 
two and is weak in your strong suit. Do what 
the dealer doesn't wish done. If he doesn't lead 



THE THIRD HAND 



57 



trumps when he has the chance, lead trumps 
through him and take the trumps out of the 
dummy hand. In this way you will perhaps 
establish your good cards which otherwise dummy 
might trump. 



THE DEALER'S PLAY 



This is the most interesting feature of bridge. 
Each member of the quartet playing awaits eager- 
ly his turn and takes more delight in playing his 
own hand — and dummy's — as dealer, than in the 
other three hands together. The bridge enthusiast 
is stoical indeed, if a succession of forced spade 
makes fall to his portion, and he can sit through 
them without disappointment. The great interest 
in the dealer's play may arise from the fact that 
here he is alone responsible for the result. He 
has the control of half the cards, and upon his 
own wit and intuition depend the result. He has 
no partner to share the blame or the praise. 

The dealer's play does, of course, depend 
largely upon the cards he holds. If the declaration 
is an aggressive one, no trump or hearts or 
diamonds, made so with the hope of going game, 
then he must carefully consider the combined 
strength of the hands, remember how many tricks 
he needs to accomplish his purpose, decide how 
many sure tricks are in sight and plan how to 
obtain the desired remainder. If the battle is to 
be closely contested, and all he can hope for is 
the odd, then he must play with conservatism, 
his mind all the time on the score. If the struggle 



THE dealer's play 



59 



be defensive and the purpose in view be the saving 
of game, then he should bear that fact in mind, 
remember how many tricks he needs to do this, 
and take no chance of failing in his purpose by 
unnecessary finesses or by slowness in getting in 
the sure tricks. 

AT NO TRUMP 

The long suit play is especially effective with 
the dealer, because he can at once decide which 
is the long suit of the combined hands and what 
the chance is of establishing it. Establishing a 
suit is having the best cards in it, and being able to 
lead it. Many a long suit has been wasted because 
after the opposing high cards were forced out the 
dealer could not lead from the hand containing 
it. This is more likely to be the case with a long 
suit in dummy's hand than if it were in the dealer's 
own hand, because in the exposed hand the ad- 
versaries see the long suit and try by every possible 
method to spoil it. It is for this reason that the 
preservation of re-entry cards is so necessary to 
such a hand. And it also follows that with two 
equal long suits, one in dummy and the other 
in dealer's hand, it is safer to establish the one in 
the dealer's hand. 

To understand what is meant by the value of 
re-entry cards, which carry with them the power 



6o 



THE dealer's play 



of securing the lead, play over the following hand 
in two ways, Z having dealt and called no trump: 



♦ 

4 



8 4 



10 




It is A's lead. 



V J 

* 9 

♦ A 

♦ 6 

V A K Q 9 

♦ lo 8 

^ J lO 8 2 

♦ A K 

and he will, of course. 



9 

4 3 



begin 

with a spade, which Z takes with the ace. If Z 
now first lead out his aces and kings, before he 
establishes the club suit, he will take just six 
tricks. On the other hand if he establishes the 
clubs by leading either the queen or ten, retaining 
his high cards for re-entry and forcing A to 
put up the club king, Z will make at least nine 
tricks and the game. There are many hands like 
these, and in almost every no trump hand there 
are suits to be established before the play can be 



THE dealer's play 



6i 



effective. Perhaps the most important rule for 
the dealer to bear in mind, then, is this: 

Establish the long suit while you hold cofnmanding 
cards in the other suits. 

It frequently happens that the dealer's cards 
do not control all the suits. It often occurs that 
in the long suit opened by the adversaries the 
dealer holds but the ace and two small, while 
the dummy may show but two small. If this 
be so, it is generally wise to let the adversaries 
have the first two tricks, reserving the ace for the 
third. By this time the leader's partner will likely 
be out of that suit and therefore be unable to lead 
it if he gets in. When the dealer thus takes the 
third trick and subsequently has to finesse in order 
to clear up one of his suits, he must be careful 
to always finesse against the original leader, so 
that he cannot get in and make the remaining 
cards of his long suit. 

The dealer, of course, knows just what cards 
are held against him, but he cannot tell in which 
hand particular cards are until some indication 
is given by his opponents. This information is 
very important to him, because often he can lead 
through and capture the opposing high cards if 
only he is sure of their situation. This informa- 
tion he can mostly gain from the discards, forced 
or voluntary, and it therefore is usually wise to 



62 



THE dealer's play 



play out the long suit as soon as it is established, 
or, if it is already established, to lead it as soon 
as he gets in. If he has a sure suit of five tricks 
he must certainly force several discards from the 
adversaries. A forced discard necessarily weakens 
the hand from which it is made, and, by leading 
the long suit, the dealer not only is likely to gain 
the information he desires, but weakens the de- 
fense which originally might have existed. This 
is especially true if the opponents are "discarding 
from weakness," and are indiscreet enough to 
throw away high cards from their short suits. 

To the dealer the ability to throw the lead into 
either hand is of great value. To take advantage 
of the information gained by the discards it is 
often necessary to lead through the high cards of 
the adversaries, and this is often prevented if it 
is not possible to pass the lead to either hand at 
will. Therefore the dealer will often find it wise 
to preserve till later a suit in which he has ace 
with two or three small in one hand and king 
with one or two small in the other. It frequently 
occurs, also, that by delaying the playing of such 
a suit the dealer makes the small cards good at 
the end of the hand, when they would not have 
been good had the suit been cleaned up at the 
start. This comes about usually by the adversaries 
being forced to discard from that suit if the dealer 



THE dealer's play 



63 



has a long established suit to lead. For in a suit 
in which the dealer holds in his own and dummy's 
hands ace, king, with perhaps the nine or ten and 
three or four more small, the remaining cards are 
likely to be divided in the two opposing hands, 
with the queen and two small in one and the jack 
and two or three small in the other. The holder 
of such cards is likely to discard one or more of 
them when he is forced to throw away, because 
he naturally feels that his strength is not suffici- 
ently great to warrant his preserving them. 
And if the dealer watch the discards carefully, 
he will often find his small cards of that suit 
good at the end of the hand. 

A suit that is mostly disadvantageous for 
the dealer to open is one in which he has the 
jack with two or three small in one hand, and 
king with two or three small in the other. Un- 
less the dealer can locate the ace definitely and 
lead through it in order to make his king good, 
it is wiser to let such a combination of cards alone 
till it is necessary to play them. Experience will 
convince the experimenter that the chief use of 
such a combination is defensive, to prevent the 
opponent from establishing it. 

In the play of almost every no trump hand the 
dealer has a chance to try a finesse, and often 
more than one. The simplest form is when in 



64 



THE dealer's play 



one hand he holds a suit of ace, queen and two 
small and in the other jack, ten and one or two 
small. The problem for the dealer to solve is 
how to take four tricks in this suit. If the king 
is held by the opponent playing before the hand 
holding ace and queen, it is a simple matter. 
Lead the jack, and if the king does not go on, 
duck wuth a small one; then follow with the ten 
and use the same tactics. If the king is still held 
up then lead a small one and put on either queen 
or ace as occasion demands. 

But if the other opponent holds the king there 
is no way of getting it (save physical violence), 
and it will be sure to win either the first or second 
trick. The theory upon which such a finesse is 
used then has two legs for support. First is the 
fact that, on the average, the king will lie an equal 
number of times in either hand. This being so, 
it follows that by finessing the king will be cap- 
tured half of the time. And next is the fact that, 
when the king lies on the "wrong" side and cap- 
tures the trick, the suit is thus established and the 
remaining tricks are good, so that nothing is lost. 

And now, before we consider some of the other 
combinations where the finesse may be used, let 
us think of some where it is unwise. Suppose in 
one hand are the ace, king and three small, and 
in the other the jack, ten and two small. Here 



THE dealer's play 



65 



in both hands are nine cards and the opponents 
hold but four. The chance of capturing the queen 
by two straight leads is much greater than the 
chance of capturing it by a finesse. It may happen 
that one lead discloses that all the four cards are 
in one hand. If so, it may be wise after the first 
lead to change the theory of play, and if the queen 
lies where it can be captured go after it with a 
finesse. But certainly it is wise to make at least 
one straight swing to capture it. And usually it 
pays to lead twice. Another combination from 
which it is wise not to try a finesse is where in 
one hand is an ace and one or two small, and in 
the other the queen and two or three small. Here 
it would manifestly be foolish to lead the queen 
for the purpose of forcing the king, because if the 
king is put on you will lose the queen or be forced 
to overtake with the ace and leave the opponents 
with control of the suit. It is better to delay the 
play from such a combination until able to mark 
the hand containing the king and then to lead 
through the king to the queen, reserving the ace 
for re-entry. By doing this the king will be 
forced out on the first trick, when the queen and 
ace can be made separately, and perhaps a third 
trick if you have seven of the suit in the two hands. 
Or if the king be held up your queen will make 
on the first trick. 



66 



THE dealer's play 



One combination is interesting and worthy a 
moment's attention. Let us suppose in dummy 
are the king and two small, while in your own 
hand are ace, jack and one small. With these cards 
three tricks may often be taken, and it will be 
simple if you can mark the queen in the hand at 
your right. Because, in that case, if a small card 
be lead through the queen the ace or jack may be 
played as occasion requires. But if the queen is 
in the hand playing after the hand containing 
jack it is quite different. If in the hand holding 
queen is also the ten it is certain that if the jack 
is led the queen will be put on and the king forced 
out of dummy's hand. But this is the chance that 
must be taken. If the queen has not been marked 
in either hand the only play is to lead up to the 
hand containing ace, jack and try to take the trick 
with the jack. With this combination of high 
cards, if either hand contained three or more small, 
the play would be different. 

It has been assumed that the dealer can lead 
from either hand. Many times this is not possible, 
and the fact will, of course, greatly modify the 
play. 

In general, it may be said that the finesse 
should be used wherever there is a legitimate 
chance to take a necessary trick. 

And to decide whether the trick is necessary 



THE dealer's play 



67 



the score must all the time be borne in mind. 
The most important matter is to win the game. 
If you have two odd tricks won and need another 
for game, take it if it is in sight, even if by so 
doing the chance of winning two or three more 
by a finesse must be abandoned. On the other 
hand, if you have the odd trick won and need two 
more to go game and to secure them a finesse is 
requisite, make the trial unhesitatingly. 

WHEN TRUMP IS DECLARED 

If the dealer has declared a trump, the reason 
is that he is strong in that suit, unless, of course, 
the declaration is defensive. If the, call is in ac- 
cordance with the rules laid down for the make, 
dealer will presumably have in two hands, seven 
or eight trumps. His opponents will try to secure 
as many tricks as possible before giving up the 
lead. When the dealer gets in he must adopt one 
of two plans. If in the combined hands he finds 
a long suit which will be good when the opponents' 
trumps are gone, in almost all cases he should 
exhaust trumps and bring in the long suit. On 
the contrary, if he finds himself with a quantity 
of trumps, but lacking strong suit cards and with 
one or two short suits, then a ruffing game may 
be preferable. Sometimes in the latter case, if 
there is a plethora of trumps, it is better to make 



68 



THE dealer's play 



one or two trump leads before beginning the rufif. 
In at least nine hands of every ten it is wise 
for the dealer to open trumps. With the trumps 
of the adversaries exhausted, the dealer may play 
the remaining cards as if there were no trump, 
taking advantage of the long suit play and using 
the finesse; and with the added facility of being 
able to get in with the remaining trumps when- 
ever a suit is cleared up. 

Hands are numerous in which, after the dealer 
has exhausted the opponent's trumps, he can ruff 
to advantage with the trumps remaining in his 
own or dummy's hand. Now and then dummy will 
put down a hand in which are two or three small 
trumps and a singleton in some suit of which 
your own hand contains two or three small. If 
the dealer now commands the other two suits he 
can afford to try a ruff before exhausting trumps, 
by leading the short suit. He may thus gain a 
trick or two on his own weak suit before be- 
ginning to fire his own big guns. 



DISCARDING 



When the opponents are leading their long 
suit and one has to throw away cards that might 
possibly be good for tricks — shortening one suit, 
weakening another, taking down the defenses in 
still another — these sad moments can be some- 
what relieved by showing partner what one has 
left, and what he is expected to lead if once he 
gets in. 

The problem is, by the discard, to definitely 
show partner what you wish him to lead and 
still not weaken your hand. To show the 
strong suit with absolute certainty it is necessary 
to throw away a small card of that suit, which is 
discarding from strength; and to preserve the 
strength of the hand it is necessary to hold all 
the cards of your strong suit and throw away one 
from some short suit that cannot possibly take a 
trick, which is discarding from weakness. It is 
therefore easy to see that it is impossible to ac- 
complish both the objects desired by the discard. 
If you discard from strength you show your suit 
definitely, but you weaken the suit; while if you 
adopt the discard from weakness you preserve the 
strong suit intact, but you do not show definitely 
what the strong suit is. 



70 



DISCARDING 



It is natural, therefore, that players should 
differ as to the wise course to pursue. There are of 
course those who object to any fixed system of 
discard, but their number is negligible; all others 
either discard from w^eakness or discard from 
strength. Occasionally a player will mix the 
systems and declare that he discards from 
"strength in plain suits and weakness in no 
trumps." 

If I were to be restricted to either plan my 
conviction is that I should adopt the discard from 
strength, believing that the definite showing of 
the strong suit makes it preferable. But we have 
adopted a discard system here at Dunwoodie 
which we think has an advantage over any other 
method, and which may therefore properly be 
called the "Dunwoodie Discard." It gives the 
player the option of discarding either from the 
strong or from the weak suit as the hand may 
demand. By this plan the discard of a card with 
an even number of spots indicates strength in 
the suit shown, a card with an odd number shows 
weakness. The discard of a two would mean 
strength, of a three would mean-^weakness. 

We have played this discard in many thous- 
ands of hands and it has but one defect. Now 
and then a hand will occur in which the strong 
suit contains no card with an even number of 



DISCARDING 



71 



spots, and in which the weak suit contains no odd 
card. Experience has proved that this rarely 
happens — not more than once in twenty-five rub- 
bers. It is therefore almost negligible as an ob- 
jection to the system. 

Observation of thousands of hands played 
with this system demonstrates several facts. One 
is that a discard as a means of giving information 
is of little value against plain suit makes, while 
the contrary is true when no trump is made. 

Another thing is quite plain. While the sys- 
tem has been adopted by those who formerly dis- 
carded from weakness, as well as by those who 
discarded from strength, yet in using the system 
these players show strength in a suit about ten 
times as often as they show weakness. This is 
rather conclusive proof to me that if one were 
restricted either to strength or weakness in dis- 
carding, the discard from strength is the more 
useful. 

In practical play our Dunwoodie discard works 
admirably, and we confidently recommend it to 
the attention of bridge enthusiasts. 

It is flexible and accommodates itself to the 
quality of each hand. Many times shortening the 
strong suit spoils a hand, and when such a situa- 
tion arises the weak suit can be discarded from. 
There are other hands when to discard from the 



72 



DISCARDING 



weak suit will give the opponents absolute control 
of it. In such cases the strong suit can be indi- 
cated. 

Some players have developed this theory of 
using the even card to show strength and the odd 
card to show weakness to a still greater degree, 
so as to indicate to partner strength or weakness 
in his own suit while following. Thus if the 
leader begin with an ace, or ace, king suit, third 
hand shows whether he can take the next trick in 
that suit by the card he plays. If he has command of 
the suit he follows with an even card, otherwise 
he plays an odd card. With two or three leads, 
therefore, the first player could readily place nearly 
every trick. Of course the chance that the third 
player will not be able to indicate his strength or 
weakness for lack of proper cards is here greatly 
increased. It is so much increased that in almost 
every rubber such a hand will occur. This method 
of discard also apparently interferes with the 
useful echo by which exhaustion of the suit 
has heretofore been shown. When the leader 
opens an established suit, if third hand holds but 
two small, it is customary for him to play the 
larger card first. Following with the smaller then 
shows he is out of that suit and can trump. It is 
not good play to carry this custom to the extreme 
of discarding an honor higher than a ten and then 



DISCARDING 



73 



following with a small. This is likely to confuse 
the leader. If third hand has jack or queen and 
one small exhaustion of the suit is shown just as 
plainly by playing the small card first. 

It frequently happens when a number of dis- 
cards are forced that the choice of cards to throw 
away is perplexing. If the smaller cards are 
discarded from each suit they may all be left 
unprotected. Some good players, when there 
are two or three suits to protect, have adopted 
the habit of discarding all of one suit so as to 
leave the others intact. This plan sometimes 
proves useful, but two serious objections may 
be urged. It is often impossible to decide which 
is the more valuable suit to hold. And if there 
is an honor in the suit discarded, throwing it 
away gives the leader too much information. 

Too much importance can be easily attributed 
to the proper mode of discard. It is quite the 
rule for partners w^ho are drawn at a table to ask 
each other, before beginning play, as to the habit 
of discard. But many times this formality is 
neglected, and we have all seen these partners 
play several rubbers together with great satis- 
faction and without the question occurring to 
either. 



WHAT IS CALLED "UNBLOCKING" 



This is simply keeping out of your partner's 
way. It is usually of no importance, except 
when no trump is called. But it is of great 
importance then. The leader begins with his 
long suit, and it is essential that whatever high 
cards you have in that suit be used to assist him 
in clearing or controlling the suit, not in stop- 
ping it. 

Suppose the leader has ace, king, nine and 
three or four small, while you hold queen, ten 
and one small. He leads the king. If you play 
your small card on this you will surely stop the 
suit for him, with a possible loss of several 
tricks. If he continue with the ace and takes 
out all the others held by the opponents, you are 
left high and dry with the best card of the suit, 
and no way of giving it back to partner. Of 
course the way to avoid this is to play some other 
card on partner's first lead. Not the queen, be- 
cause you can scarcely tell, upon the first lead, 
how long partner's suit is, and you might need 
the queen. But your second best card, the ten. 
Now, if partner leads again, you can usually 



UNBLOCKING 



75 



tell by dummy's hand and the cards that fall, if 
partner's suit is long; and if you decide it is, then 
play your queen on the second round. Play in 
the same way if you should have four cards of 
the suit. On the first lead retain the lowest card 
and play the next to lowest. As long as you 
keep your lowest card you can always put part- 
ner in by returning it. 

Should the leader begin with a small card and 
you hold ace, queen and one small, put on the 
ace and return the queen. In this case if the 
dealer hold the king you clear the suit for the 
leader and are able to return it when you get in. 
If he lead from king and four or five others, he 
will know what to do with your return lead of 
the queen. 

If the leader begin with a small card and you 
hold king and jack, with or without a small card, 
put on the king, unless dummy shows queen and 
two small, when you should play the jack. This 
is only saying again that the third hand should 
not finesse on his partner's lead. 

There are many other combinations in which 
a trick may be lost unless you retain the small 
card. The leader may hold ace, queen, jack, six 
and three, and you hold ten, seven, four and two. 
He leads the ace, and follows with the queen, 
which dealer takes with his king. When the 



76 



UNBLOCKING 



leader gets in again and continues with the jack, 
you are bound to stop the suit, unless you have 
held your smallest card. 

In most cases the matter is simple, and you can 
keep out of partner's way by retaining the small- 
est card. Now and then you may find that you 
have misjudged the leader's hand, and that it is 
not as long or as strong as you have hoped. If 
this be so by playing your good cards you may 
lose a trick, but such errors of judgment will be 
rare. 

This theory of unblocking is, of course, es- 
pecially applicable to the play of the leader and 
his partner, because the dealer, knowing the 
cards in his own and dummy's hand, can block 
himself only through carelessness. But it is easy 
for the dealer to do this, if he is thoughtless. If 
there is a long suit in dummy, headed by the jack 
and four or five others, and he hold in his own 
hand ace, queen, and one small, he must retain 
the small card and force the king out of his 
opponent's hands by playing his ace and queen. 
For, unless dummy have one sure card of re-entry, 
he may find himself after the first two rounds with 
no method of getting the lead back into dummy. 
This situation may arise in many combinations. 
Assume this position at no trumps: 



UNBLOCKING 



77 



DUMMY S HAND 



dealer's hand 



^864 

^ J 10 8 7 6 2 
d|k K 2 



V A K 7 S 

♦ A Q 9 

♦ 6 3 

♦ K Q 6 



and a small club be lead, which dummy captures 
with the king. Now it is quite necessary that a 
small diamond be led from dummy's hand and 
an attempt be made to force out or capture the 
king. This would be best accomplished by 
finessing with the queen; and if the queen wins 
returning the ace. If the four diamonds held by 
the two opponents are evenly divided the king 
will be captured in the second lead and the suit 
established. If one of the opponents hold king 
and two small, he can readily kill dummy's hand 
by holding the king for the third round. 



PLAY OF THE SECOND HAND 



In that charming essay of Arthur Schopen- 
hauer which he called the Wisdom of Life, he 
declares that ''in all countries the chief occu- 
pation of society is card playing and it is the 
guage of its value, and an outward sign that it is 
bankrupt in thought. " Perhaps this is more severe 
than the fact warrants; because at least in Ameri- 
can life, card playing, like the theatre and the 
strawberry festival, is mostly the occasion for 
bringing people together socially, and giving them 
the chance of expressing and exchanging what 
thoughts they have. And while card playing is 
a trifle, not to be compared in importance with 
many other things which are necessary for our 
life, there is a satisfaction in doing well whatever 
is to be done. I fancy, therefore, that if Herr 
Schopenhauer could have mastered the play of 
the second hand at Bridge, he would have decided 
that the subject surely required a certain amount 
of mental quickness. 

For there can be few hard and fast rules for 
the playing of the second hand — by which is 
meant the second hand to be played from, where- 
ever the lead may be. The old dictum of whist, 
"second hand low, third hand high," is, in many 



THE SECOND HAND 



79 



respects, a good rule to think of, but its appli- 
cation to Bridge is limited. 

Second hand tactics are about the same for 
any one of the players, but the dealer has a great 
advantage in his knowledge of dummy's hand. 
Getting the most out of the high cards in the 
second hand is largely a matter of intuition. 
Some general rules may be given, but they are 
all subject to modification to fit the combinations 
that arise. 

Holding two honors in sequence, it is usually 
wise to cover a low card led with the smaller of 
the two. 

Holding three honors in sequence, it is almost 
imperative to cover a low card lead. 

If an honor be led and second hand has the 
honor just above, it is usually wise to play it. For 
instance, if queen be led and second hand hold 
king, and ace is in third hand, it will generally 
pay to cover with the king. One must assume 
that the queen is led from the top of a sequence 
of at least two, and your partner may be able to 
stop the suit with a nine or ten if you use up 
your opponent's honors by covering. On the 
other hand occasions for different play will arise. 
If the dealer leads queen from queen, jack and 
others, and in the dummy are ace and two small, 
second hand play will be modified by the number 



8o 



THE SECOND HAND 



of small cards second hand holds. If only one 
or two, go up with the king and depend on part- 
ner. If three small, duck, because your king will 
be left after the ace is necessarily played. 

On original leads it is usually wise to play the 
king from king and one small in dummy. On 
later leads, after dummy is exposed, the dealer 
must trust his judgment. He cannot tell, except 
to judge from the cards in his own hand, what 
the leader's object is. 

The play from one combination is well settled. 
If the dealer hold in one hand king and one or 
two small, and in the other queen and one or two 
small, do not go up with an honor second hand. 
Also play low with the jack in one hand and 
the queen in the other. With queen and one 
small in one hand, and jack and two small in the 
other, dealer can always stop the suit if he does 
not go up with the honor second hand. 

There are other combinations to remember. 
Suppose ace in one hand and queen in the other 
at no trumps. If small card be led through the 
ace, play small second hand, and try to lake the 
trick with the queen fourth hand. And if small 
card be led through the queen, play small, unless 
the queen has only one guard. This play might 
not always be wise in plain suits where the lead 
was made for the purpose of saving a possible 
king in third hand. 



THE SECOND HAND 8l 

With queen and one small in one hand, and 
ace, ten and small in the other, play small card 
second hand if lead is made through the queen. 
This would not necessarily follow if, instead of 
the ten, you held a nine. 

If jack, ten and small are in one hand, and 
ace and small in the other, it is usually wise to 
play the ten second hand. 

If second hand hold a fourchette, always 
cover second hand an honor led. A fourchette 
is to hold the cards immediately above and below 
the one led. If ten is led and second hand hold 
jack and nine, cover with the jack. This rule 
should be observed even if the card led be a 
small one. 

When a suit is led to dealer, and in one hand 
he has king and small, and in the other ace and 
small, it is generally wise to capture the trick 
with the high card in the exposed hand, unless it 
is necessary to preserve that honor as a card of 
re-entry for the exposed hand. 

There are plenty of other general rules which 
might be given for various combinations, but 
they are all subject to variation. The proper 
play of the second hand is one of the most diffi- 
cult features of the game, and experience is the 
best teacher; also one of the most expensive. 



SUGGESTIONS 



A further word may be hazarded with regard 
to a few details of p]ay. Bridge, of all the card 
games, is perhaps the easiest in which to obtain 
an advantage in unfair ways. The most import- 
ant part of the play is the make. If partners 
play together a good bit, a vocal inflection in a 
question, a murmur of surprise when sorting the 
hand, a delay in announcing the make, — any one 
of these might convey a deal of information. 
Therefore it is better to so conduct your play that 
no questions can ever arise. 

If you are dealer do not hesitate over your 
decision of the trump. When you have looked 
at the cards it is easy to tell instantly if you are 
going to make the trump or pass to your partner. 
It will occasionally happen that your cards are 
such that you wish to make the trump, but can- 
not instantly decide what is wisest to do. When 
this is true, say at once and distinctly: " I will 
make the trump ; " and then you can safely take 
what time you need. There is nothing more 
annoying to the opponents, or embarrassing to 
partner, than a player who fusses around with his 
cards, hesitates, declares he doesn't know what to 
do, and finally passes the make. This annoys 



ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS 



83 



partner, because he may have a good hand and 
wish to declare no trump. And if dealer has 
fussed around in this fashion, dummy will hesitate 
to declare no trump, even if he has the cards. In 
some clubs the custom is to allow the dealer ten 
or twelve seconds in which to announce his de- 
cision. Dummy may have all the time he needs, 
since his hesitation cannot make any difference. 

When a few friends are in the habit of playing 
together frequently they often grow careless and 
fail to observe essential details. One of the com- 
monest of customs is for one of such a group to 
throw upon the table, face up, the last two or 
three or four cards of a hand and say: "They are 
all yours; " or, ''that's all you get; " or, "the rest 
are ours," or something of the sort. Now of 
course the penalties for exposed cards are all 
given in the rules and may be enforced, but in a 
friendly group of the kind described there is 
often a tacit understanding that the lid is lifted 
and the rules may thus be neglected. Yet let me 
warn against the habit above mentioned. There 
is no more fruitful source for differences than 
this. The statement may be true nineteen times 
in twenty, but there is the twentieth time. And 
even if it is true some one of the quartet may not 
quite see it, and then he requires to be shown. It 



84 



ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS 



is not rare to see such a four still disputing about 
a certain trick after three or four other hands 
have been dealt and peacefully played. And 
when a player, argued down, grudgingly con- 
cedes the point, his Bridge disposition may be 
soured for an hour or two. Please, then, play 
out the cards. It will save much trouble. 

When the dealer looks at his cards he occa- 
sionally finds that he has dealt himself a ''three 
suiter." He may have four spades, and four 
clubs and five diamonds, with the hearts lacking, 
or some other suit may be absent. When this 
happens it is much better for the dealer to make 
the trump. If the make is passed the odds are 
rather in favor of dummy's declaring the suit the 
dealer lacks. A trump declaration from a three 
suit hand is likely to be successful. The ruff is 
already established, and in such a hand it is quite 
possible that all the small trumps will be good 
for tricks. Unless the hand is sadly weak it is 
better to take a chance with the best there is. 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



NO TRUMP MAKES 

There is a fascination in a no trump make 
which does not obtain in the declaration of a 
suit trump. Possibly this comes from the fact 
that every one of the thirteen cards in one's hand 
becomes fortified with its nominal value, and that 
it may enter into the combat unmenaced by the 
vested right of some declared suit. The no- 
trumper is a stout and fearless democrat, willing 
to abide by the decision of the majority, asking 
no favor and granting none. In the playing of 
such a hand one is not called on to witness the 
humiliating and almost pathetic spectacle of the 
slaughter of a led ace or king by a special priv- 
ileged deuce or tray. 

In the declaration of no-trumpers there are 
three classes of players, viz. : those who are so 
conservative that they underestimate the value of 
the no trump possibilities of a hand; those who 
are so risky and optimistic that they declare no 
trumps when the odds are decidedly against them, 
and, finally, that small division of rarely-equipped 
players, gifted with scientific judgment and a 
trained prescience — a combination which enables 



86 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



its fortunate possessor to win on no trump 
declarations which less favored players hold in 
contempt. 

So far as I am able to learn, I am the only 
member of the Dunwoodie Country Club entitled 
to belong to this latter class. 

It, therefore, will not be expected of me that 
I shall reveal all the secrets of an art by which I 
derive so decided an advantage — not in financial 
gains, since the money won serves merely as the 
marker to indicate the extent of a victory won by 
superior skill — but in the calm and almost holy 
satisfaction which flows into the soul of the bridge 
player, who knows that his score is the highest to 
be attained from perfect declarations, flawless 
leads and matchless finesse. 

However, I am not averse to setting forth 
some of the rudimentary principles of a no trump 
declaration, and I do this more in the hope that 
these revelations may so improve the play of 
Dunwoodie that I may have worthy opponents, 
rather than in any fear of financial loss thereby. 

In the first place, one side holds a no trump 
hand every time the cards are dealt. Carpers may 
retort that this is also true of hearts, diamonds, 
clubs or spades; to which I rejoin that the odd 
trick in no trumps counts twelve. 

The dealer has the advantage in nominating 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



87 



the trump. This is offset, to a degree, by the 
fact that the opponent to the left has the privilege 
of making the first lead. I hold that in an 
ordinary hand this advantage is so slight that it 
may be ignored in making a no trumper. Of 
course, if I make it no trump with only one 
heart in my hand, and if my partner does not 
come to my support, then it is certain that we shall 
lose the odd and possibly the game; but it is this 
very fear of such a possible but improbable 
calamity that deters the average player from 
making a no trump declaration on a hand which 
seems to warrant it. 

If I pick up a hand with four sure tricks in 
spades, three sure tricks in clubs and none in 
hearts or diamonds, I do not hesitate to declare 
no trump. There are only two suits that my 
opponents dare play, and the moment my partner 
gets in we surely win two odd tricks. 

Ah! our timid conservative cries, there are 
dangerous hands out against you. Of course 
there are. I am in danger of losing all the heart 
and diamond tricks, but am I the only one in 
danger? How about my friend, the enemy? Does 
he relish a game in which a lead of a black suit 
means defeat? Would he have made a no trump 
declaration without a black trick in sight? Never. 

If I have absolute control of one suit in my 



88 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



hand I have the average strength of a deal of 
cards. There are four suits and four players. If 
I hold control of two suits I have a stupendous 
advantage. My partner need stop only one in 
order to give us the game under all ordinary cir- 
cumstances. The fact that I am shy of one suit 
is all the more reason to anticipate that my partner 
is strong enough to check it. He may have none; 
in which case, as I have stated, we lose, but the 
fact that a declaration loses once in a while, or 
repeatedly in an evening, proves only that the 
cards are not breaking fairly, and it militates not 
in the least against the truth of my theory that 
absolute command of two suits is sufficient war- 
rant for a no trump declaration. 

Every time that a scientific no trump declarer 
fails to win there are tears from his partner and 
jeers from his opponents. When he wins — as he 
does fully eight times out of ten — his ignorant 
dummy takes all the credit for laying down good 
support, and his foolish opponents declaim against 
his marvelous luck. To a player who thoroughly 
understands this feature of the game — as I do — 
there is no anodyne more soothing than the rail- 
ing of these incompetents. 

Let us deal a sample hand. The one now in- 
dicated is shown just as I dealt it, and is not in 
any sense a trick hand, but it serves admirably 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



89 



to illustrate the possibilities of what is usually 
termed a " dangerous no trump make." Here are 
the cards, myself dealing and declaring a no 
trumper : 

LAWSON 

V J 

^ A 10 9 3 2 

♦ J 7 2 

* K J53 

WATSON THOMAS 

♦ K J ♦ 8764 
1093 ^ A 8 6 4 

♦ 10 6 * G 9 4 

ADAMS 

¥ K Q 9 8 

♦ 9 5 

# KQ5 

* A 8 7 2 

Certainly mine will not be called a strong hand, 
and surely Lawson would not make it no trump 
if I passed it to him, since his hand indicates only 
two, and at the outside, three tricks. As I read 
my hand it indicates four tricks with a strong 



90 SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 

probability of five. There are only thirteen tricks 
in all, and assuming the strength of my hand at 
four and one-half I have 34 chances out of 100 in 
my own hand. I, therefore, trust my partner for 
the necessary 17 percentage of winning cards — 
and he has them. In ordinary play Lawson and 
I will go game on the play of this hand. 

You say that Lawson has given me strong 
support. Very well, suppose I take Watson for 
a partner, and the chances are even greater that 
we will again go game. Were Thomas my partner 
and the lead in Lawson's hand, then we would 
lose the odd through his spade lead, otherwise we 
v^^ould likely win the odd. 

Thus this hand of mine will win three or more 
odd tricks in combination with either Lawson or 
Watson, and lose only the odd with Thomas, who 
holds the weakest and least adaptable hand of the 
three. 

Look my hand over closely. It shows only 
one trick in clubs; it has no trick in spades, and 
it lacks the command in either hearts or diamonds. 
It has no long suit, and is in all respects far from 
a certain winner, but notwithstanding all this, it 
holds out an almost sure promise of five tricks. 
My conservative friends will dispute this, but 
that hand will take five tricks seventy-five per 
cent, of the time. The very fact that it has no 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS gt 

long suit is an indication that the other hands are 
the same. The weakness in spades is its most 
marked defect, but even with Lawson's long suit 
of spades taking five tricks against me there is 
still a fighting chance for the odd. 

There are times when this hand will be beaten, 
but what of it? Bridge is based on the law of 
averages, and the player who has four or five 
sure tricks in his hand lacks judgment when he 
declines to trust his partner for two. His partner 
may have none — then he loses, but the other side 
does not go out at love all. Again, his partner 
may have seven or eight tricks, in which case 
honor counts, and items for slams, add to the joy 
of the occasion. 

In the determination of a no trump make 
altogether too much importance is attached to 
the absence of aces. The difference between an 
ace and a king in a no trumper is that the ace 
dominates twelve cards in a suit, while the king 
dominates only eleven. The ace also has an 
honor value, but to all intents and purposes a 
king is as valuable as an ace. A hand which 
bristles with cards between the ace and the eight 
spot is one not to be despised. 

That learned and astute essayist, Mr. John 
Duff, has emphasized the safe and only practical 
use of the one-spot in his immortal treatise: 



92 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



Don't Let the Ace Die in the House." He 
proves that it should be led before its expiring 
breath and nauseating effluvium permeates the 
room. 

Our national government is singularly dere- 
lict in the preparation of bridge statistics, but 
accurate figures undoubtedly would show that 
more tricks are taken with kings, queens and 
even with jacks than with the much vaunted aces. 
Therefore, do not let the absence of aces deter 
you from making a no trumper, provided your 
judgment tells you that your hand holds decidedly 
more than the average strength. 

Where the risky or unwise no trumper counts 
its victims by the tens, the cowardly and stupid 
spade evasion numbers them by hundreds. If I 
could convert into money the profits which would 
accrue nightly from spades makes which should 
have been exalted to the dignity of no trumpers, 
I would ask no other source of revenue. 

In conclusion, I trust no reader of these few 
remarks will think that they constitute an argu- 
ment in favor of the indiscriminate declaration of 
no trump. I simply urge that there should be 
applied to this art the elementary principles of 
the law of average, and that there should be 
adopted such a policy as will yield a maximum 
of success to a minimum of failure. Success in 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



93 



cards consists in extracting the limit from poor 
cards, and the odd in your favor from a sickly 
looking no trumper is better than four odd against 
you in a doubled spade. — Frederick Upham Adams. 

DON'T LET AN ACE DIE IN THE HOUSE 

The craze some players have for finessing on 
all possible occasions reminds me of the craze 
the surgeons have had for appendicitis opera- 
tions. Just as soon as they learned they could 
cut a man open in a real appendicitis case, and 
sew him up again, with some reasonable chance 
of his living, then carnage reigned. Every after 
pain from chicken salad, every gripe from a 
green apple and, — presto! they had the poor vic- 
tim opened and trussed up like a Thanskgiving 
turkey. Just so it is with the player who has de- 
veloped the finesse appetite. For the possible 
chance of making a nine spot take a seven, his 
aces and kings, good cards any day in the week, 
go down to slaughter. 

Just recently it was my sad fate to see one of 
these finesse cranks get in his perfect work. 
It was no trump and he was third hand. 
His partner's initial lead was a small diamond. 
Dummy put down the ten and two small ones. 
The finesse crank held ace and jack and a little 



94 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



one, so of course he put on the jack. Thereupon 
the dealer takes it with his queen (he only had 
queen and one more) and followed with nine 
straight tricks in hearts and spades and clubs. 
When his partner had ceased tearing his hair, for 
he held king, nine and three others, the finesse 
crank explained: I was only trying to clear 
your suit for you, partner." Ye Gods! And how 
many times have I seen third hand finesse, hold- 
ing the ace, not only losing the trick, but also 
the lead and game. It was only the other day I 
observed with deep sorrow one of these f-c's 
(finesse cranks) who held in one hand the king 
and four more in clubs, and in the dummy the 
ace, jack and three others, and clubs were trumps, 
too. From his own hand he leads a small one, 
and put on dummy's jack third hand. The right 
hand adversary captured the trick with his queen 
and then made two more in hearts, both of which 
might have been ruffed by the dealer had he gone 
up with his ace and returned the suit, thereafter 
discarding his hearts on his own leads of good 
cards. If there is ever an unjustifiable finesse it 
is when you have two swings at a suit and there 
are only three or four out against you. So let 
me set down here in letters of gold one great and 
valuable maxim : Don't let the ace die in the house. 
Take a trick with it. That is what aces are for, — 



SOME INDIVIDUAL 



OPINIONS 



95 



to take tricks with. And let another great truth 
sink into your soul: 

An ace cannot possibly take but one trick. 

And when the ace has taken that trick and 
it is neatly stacked up on your pile, you have the 
comforting assurance that no adversary can get 
it away.* No measly little deuce of trumps can 
grab it. No long suit in an opposing hand can 
render it worthless. No failure of your partner 
to "lead back" can lower its value away below 
par. 

I must of course admit that the finesse has its 
uses. To extract the king when it is guarded 
with two or three small ones by deft "leading 
through " affords a keen and holy joy. But how 
often do these chances occur? In ordinary play 
only once or twice in each rubber. Meanwhile, 
if you finesse on every thing in sight, you will 
lose an unnecessary score of tricks, 

—John T. Duff. 



* Barring a revoke. — Editor. 



96 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



THE FOURTH BEST FALLACY 

In a declared trump there certainly is no ad- 
vantage to be derived from a "fourth best" lead. 
As it is presumable that the preponderance of 
trumps is with the makers, a suit susceptible of a 
fourth best lead could never be successfully- 
established; it would be out of commission long 
before it could reach a useful stage. The rule, 
therefore, is applicable only to a no trump hand. 

The one in lead will surely open his strongest 
suit, and it appears to me that the greatest 
strength of the hand will be maintained and the 
best results obtained by leading low, if the suit is 
topped by A-Q or A-J, or, if the suit has a 
sequence of three or more from the K, Q or J, to 
lead from the top of the sequence. 

It is true that if the leading hand puts forth an 
eight the partner will know that three cards 
higher than the eight still remain in the leading 
hand, two cards higher than the eight are either 
with the dummy or his own hand, both of which he 
sees, or that of the dealer. This may be interest- 
ing information, but it is not particularly useful; 
for with one card higher than the eight known to 
be in the dealer's hand, the third hand must play 
its highest, which it would do in any event — that 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



97 



is, the highest certain of taking the trick on 
forcing the high card in the dealer's hand, 

My contention is that the strength of the lead- 
ing hand is conserved by leading low, and that 
this strength is greatly augmented in event the 
partner has one or two high cards of the suit. 
On the other hand if the high cards of the suit are 
in a hand of the opponents the play goes into 
that hand anyway, whether the lead is fourth best 
or low; and as it is fairly presumable that in 
making no trump the making side is strong 
enough for the odd, if not game, once it gets in 
play, no advantage has been gained by leading 
fourth best of the suit. Contrarywise, if leader's 
partner should have the high outstanding card, 
and can return the suit, that fourth best card 
might be just the necessary one to establish the 
suit and save the game, or possibly make the odd. 

With two hands in view (dummy and the 
player's own) a fair idea ought to be gleaned of 
the situation without the leading hand imparting 
the information to both partner and opponent 
of the number of cards above a certain value 
that he holds. 

In a recent evening at Bridge the score stood 
my side 28 to opponent's o on rubber game. Op- 
ponents dealt the following hand. I was *'B" 



98 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



and following fourth best rule lost game and 
rubber. 



V 4 

♦ AQ J932 

♦ 8765 
4 J9 



¥ K53 




♦ 




♦ K Jio 


3 2 




5 3 


c 




B 


D 


A 





^ J 10 9 8 6 
^ K 8 

*Q4 
47642 



¥ AQ72 
♦ 10 7 6 5 4 

*A9 

♦ AK 

A dealt and declared no trump. The com- 
bined hands of A and C show three tricks in 
hearts, five in clubs and five in spades — a grand 
slam with the lead. B leads fourth best in dia- 
monds, the nine. Dummy shows no diamonds. 
D knows that A's hand contains only one card that 
can beat the nine, but he must play the king and 
return the eight. A plays ten on eight, has the 
suit effectually stopped and goes game. Should 
B have opened with the deuce, six tricks would 
have been secured. 



SOME INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS 



99 



In most cases a low lead will serve every pur- 
pose that fourth best will ; fourth best seldom 
strengthens and usually weakens a hand, while as 
a signal it is at best vague — and there you are. 

— Geo. H. Gillett. 



The American Laws of Bridge 

{RE VISED) 



THE RUBBER 

1. The rubber is the best of three games. If 
the first two games be won by the same partners, 
the third game is not played. 

SCORING 

2. A game consists of thirty points obtained by 
tricks alone, exclusive of any points counted for 
honors, chicane or slam. 

3. Every deal is played out, and any points in 
excess of the thirty points necessary for the game 
are counted. 

4. Each trick above six counts two points" when 
spades are trumps, four points when clubs are 
trumps, six points when diamonds are trumps, 
eight points when hearts are trumps and twelve 
points when there are no trumps. 

5. Honors are ace, king, queen, knave and ten 
of the trump suit; or the aces when no trump is 
declared. 



102 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 



6. Honors are credited to the original holders 
and are valued as follows: 

When a Trump is Declared 

3 honors held between partners equal the value of 2 tricks 

4 " " " " " " " 4 " 

5 " " " " " " " 5 " 
4 '* " in I hand *' " " 8 " 

( 5th in \ 

4 ** " ** I "-{partner's}-" " "9 '* 

( hand ) 

5 *' " " I " " " " ID " 



When No Trump is Declared 

3 aces held between partners count 30 

4 " " " " 40 
4 " " in one hand " 100 

7. Slam is thirteen tricks scored independently 
of the revoke penalty, and adds forty points to 
the honor count. 

8. Little slam is twelve tricks similarly scored, 
and adds twenty points to the honor count. 

9. Chicane (one hand void of trumps) is equal 
in value to simple honors, /. ^. , if partner of 
player having chicane score honors he adds the 
value of three honors to his score; while, if the 
adversaries score honors, it deducts an equal 
value from theirs.* 

♦Double Chicane (both hands void of trumps) is equal in value to four 
honors, and the value thereof must be deducted from the total honor 
score of the adversaries. 



THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE I03 



10. The value of honors, slam, little slam or 
chicane, is in nowise alfected by doubling or re- 
doubling. 

11. At the conclusion of a rubber the scores for 
tricks and honors (including chicane and slam) 
obtained by each side are added, and one hundred 
points are added to the score of the winners of 
the rubber. The difference between the com- 
pleted scores is the number of points won or lost 
by the winners of the rubber. 

12. If an erroneous score affecting honors, chi- 
cane or slam be proved, such mistake may be 
corrected at any time before the score of the rub- 
ber has been made up and agreed upon. 

13. If an erroneous score affecting tricks be 
proved, such mistake must be corrected prior to 
the conclusion of the game in which it has 
occurred, and such game shall not be considered 
as concluded until the following deal has been 
completed and the trump declared; unless it be 
that the game is the last one of the rubber, — then 
the score is subject to inquiry until an agreement 
between the sides (as to the value of the rubber) 
shall have been reached. 

CUTTING 

14. The ace is the lowest card. 

15. In all cases every player must cut from the 
same pack. 



I04 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 



16. Should a player expose more than one card 
he must cut again. 

FORMING TABLES 

17. The prior right of playing is with those 
first in the room. If there are more than four 
candidates for seats at a table the privilege of 
playing is decided by cutting. The four who cut 
the lowest cards play first. 

18. After the table is formed the players cut to 
decide on partners ; the two lowest playing against 
the two highest. The lowest is the dealer, who 
has choice of cards and seats, and who, having 
once made his selection, must abide by it. 

19. Should the two players who cut lowest 
secure cards of equal value, they shall recut to 
determine which of the two shall deal; and on 
the recut the lower deals. 

20. Should three players cut cards of equal 
value, they cut again; if the fourth card be the 
highest, the two lowest of the new cut are part- 
ners and the lower of the two the dealer; if, how- 
ever, the fourth card be the lowest, the two highest 
on the re-cut are partners and the original lowest 
the dealer. 

21. Six players constitute a full table, and no 
player shall have a right to cut into a game which 
is complete. 



THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE I05 



22. When there are more than six candidates, 
the right to succeed any player who may retire is 
acquired by announcing the desire to do so, and 
such announcement shall constitute a prior right 
to the first vacancy. 

CUTTING OUT 

23. If at the end of a rubber admission be 
claimed by one or two candidates, the player or 
players having played a greater number of con- 
secutive rubbers shall withdraw; but when all 
have played the same number, they must cut to 
decide upon the outgoers; the highest are out. 

RIGHTS OF ENTRY 

24. A candidate desiring to enter a table must 
declare such wish before any player at the table 
cuts a card, either for the purpose of beginning a 
new rubber or of cutting out. 

25. In the formation of new tables those can- 
didates who have neither belonged to, nor played 
at any other table, have the prior right of entry. 
Those who have already played decide their right 
to admission by cutting. 

26. A player who cuts into one table, while 
belonging to another, shall forfeit his prior right 
of re-entry into the latter; unless by doing so he 
enables three candidates to form a fresh table. In 



Io6 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 



this event he may signify his intention of return- 
ing to his original table, and his place at the new 
one can be filled. 

27. Should any player quit the table during the 
progress of a rubber, he may, with the consent of 
the other three players, appoint a substitute dur- 
ing his absence; but such appointment shall 
become void with the conclusion of the rubber, 
and shall not in any way affect the substitute's 
rights. 

28. If anyone break up a table the remaining 
players have a prior right to play at other tables. 

SHUFFLING 

29. The pack must not be shuffled below the 
table nor so that the face of any card be seen. 

30. The dealer's partner must collect the cards 
for the ensuing deal, and he has the first right to 
shuffle the cards. Each player has the right to 
shuffle subsequently. The dealer has the right to 
shuffle last; but, should a card or cards be seen 
during his shuffling, or while giving the pack to 
be cut, he must re-shuffle. 

31. Each player, after shuffling, must place the 
cards properly collected and face downward to 
the left of the player next to deal. 



THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 107 



THE DEAL 

32. Each player deals in his turn; the order of 
dealing goes to the left. 

33. The player on the dealer's right cuts the 
pack, and, in dividing it, must leave not fewer 
than four cards in either packet; if in cutting or 
in replacing one of the two packets a card be ex- 
posed, or if there be any confusion of the cards or 
a doubt as to the exact place in which the pack 
was divided, there must be a fresh cut. 

34. When the player whose duty it is to cut has 
once separated the pack he can neither re-shuffle 
nor re-cut the cards. 

35. Should the dealer shuffle the cards, after 
the pack is cut, the pack must be cut again. 

36. The fifty-two cards shall be dealt face down- 
ward. The deal is not completed until the last 
card has been dealt face downward. 

37. There is no misdeal. 

A NEW DEAL 

38. There must be a new deal — 

a If the cards be not dealt into four packets, one at a 
time and in regular rotation, beginning at the 
dealer's left. 

b If, during a deal, or during the play of a hand, the 

pack be proved incorrect or imperfect. 
c If any card be faced in the pack. 



Io8 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 



d If any player have dealt to him a greater number of 
cards than thirteen. 

e If the dealer deal two cards at once and then deal a 
third before correcting the error. 

/ If the dealer omit to have the pack cut and the ad- 
versaries call attention to the fact prior to the 
conclusion of the deal and before looking at their 
cards. 

g If the last card does not come in its regular order 

to the dealer. 
h If, while dealing, an honor be exposed. 

39. There may be a new deal — 

a If the dealer or his partner expose a card before 
the deal has been completed. Either adversary 
may claim a new deal. 

b If either adversary expose a card. The dealer or 
his partner may claim a new deal. 

c If, before fifty-one cards are dealt, the dealer should 
look at any card. The adversaries have the right 
to see it and either may exact a new deal. 

d If, in dealing, one of the last cards be exposed by 
the dealer or his partner, and the deal be completed 
before there is reasonable time for either adver- 
sary to decide as to a new deal. In all other cases 
such penalties must be claimed prior to the con- 
clusion of the deal. 

40. The claim for a new deal by reason of a card 
exposed during the deal may not be made by a 
player who has looked at any of his cards. If a 
new deal does not take place, the card exposed 
during the deal cannot be called. 



THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE IO9 



41. Should three players have their right number 
of cards, and should the fourth, not being dummy, 
have less than thirteen and not discover such de- 
ficiency until he has played any of his cards, the 
deal stands good; should he, not being dummy, 
have played, he is answerable for any revoke he 
may have made as if the missing card or cards had 
been in his hand. He may search the other pack 
for it or them. 

42. If, during the play of a deal, a pack be 
proved incorrect or imperfect, such proof renders 
the current deal void, and does not affect any 
prior score. The dealer must deal again (Law38 b). 

43. Any deal out of turn or with the adversaries' 
cards must be corrected before the play of the first 
card, otherwise the deal stands good. 

44. A player must not cut, shuffle nor deal for 
his partner without the permission of his oppon- 
ents. 

DECLARING TRUMPS 

45. The trump is declared. No card is turned. 

a The dealer may either make the trump or pass the 

declaration to his partner. 
b If the declaration be passed to partner he must 

make the trump. 

46. Should the dealer's partner make the trump 



110 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 



without receiving permission from the dealer 
either adversary may demand, 

ist. That the trump shall stand, or 
2d. That there shall be a new deal, 

provided that no declaration as to doubling has 
been made. 

47. Should the dealer's partner pass the dec- 
laration to the dealer, it shall be the right of 
either adversary to claim a new deal or to compel 
the offending player to declare the trump; pro- 
vided, that no declaration as to doubling has 
been made. The adversaries of the dealer must 
not consult as to which of the penalties under 
rule 46 shall be exacted. 

48. If either of the dealer's adversaries make a 
declaration, the dealer may, after looking at his 
hand, either claim a new deal or proceed as if no 
declaration had been made. 

49. A declaration once made cannot be altered, 
provided any action by any other player has been 
taken consequent thereon. 

DOUBLING, RE-DOUBLING. ETC. 

50. The effect of doubling and re-doubling, and 
so on, is that the value of each trick above six is 
doubled, quadrupled, and so on. 

51. After the trump declaration has been made 
by the dealer or his partner, their adversaries have 



THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE III 



a right to double. The eldest hand has the first 
right. If he does not wish to double, he shall ask 
his partner, "May I lead?" His partner shall 
answer, "Yes,'.' or, "I double." 

52. If either of their adversaries elect to double, 
the dealer and his partner have the right to re- 
double. The player who has declared the trump 
shall have the first right. He may say, "I re- 
double "or " Satisfied. " Should he say the latter, 
his partner may re-double. 

53. If the dealer or his partner elect to re-double, 
their adversaries shall have the right to again 
double. The original doubler has the first right. 

54. If the right-hand adversary of the dealer 
double before his partner has asked "May I lead? " 
the declarer of the trump shall have the right to 
say whether or not the double shall stand. If he 
decide that the double shall stand, the process of 
re-doubling may continue as described in Laws 
52, 53, 55- 

55. Whenever the value of each trick above six 
exceeds one hundred points there shall be no 
further doubling in that hand if any player objects. 
The first right to continue the re-doubling on 
behalf of a partnership belongs to that player who 
has last re-doubled. Should he, however, express 
himself satisfied, the right to continue the re- 
doubling passes to his partner. Should any player 



112 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 



re-double out of turn, the adversary who last 
doubled shall decide whether or not such double 
shall stand. If it is decided that the re-double 
shall stand, the process of re-doubling may con- 
tinue as described in this and foregoing laws (52 
and 53). If any double or re-double out of turn 
be not accepted there shall be no further doubling 
in that hand. Any consultation between partners 
as to doubling or re-doubling will entitle the 
maker of the trump or either adversary, without 
consultation, to a new deal. 

56. If the eldest hand lead before the doubling 
be completed, his partner may redouble only with 
the consent of the adversary who last doubled. 
But such lead shall not affect the right of either 
adversary to double. 

57. When the question " May I lead? " has been 
answered in the affirmative, or when the player 
who has the last right to continue the doubling, 
declares himself satisfied, the play shall begin. 

58. If the eldest hand lead without asking per- 
mission, his partner may only double if the maker 
of the trump consent. 

59. If the right-hand adversary of the dealer 
lead out of turn, the maker of the trump may call 
a suit from the eldest hand, who may only double 
if the maker of the trump consent. In this case 
no penalty can be exacted after the dummy hand 



THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE II3 



or any part of it is on the table, since he (dummy) 
has accepted the situation. 

60. A declaration as to doubling or re-doubling, 
once made, cannot be altered. 

DUMMY 

61. As soon as the eldest hand has led, the deal- 
er's partner shall place his cards face upward on 
the table, and the duty of playing the cards from 
that hand shall devolve upon the dealer, unassist- 
ed by his partner. 

62. Until his hand is exposed on the table, the 
dealer's partner has all the rights of a player. 

63. After exposing his cards the dealer's part- 
ner has no part in the game except that he has the 
right to ask the dealer if he has none of the suit 
to which he may have renounced; to correct an 
erroneous score; to correct the claim of either 
adversary to a penalty to which he is not entitled; 
to call his partner's attention to the fact that a 
trick has not been completed. If he should call 
attention to any other incident of the play in 
consequence of which any penalty might be exact- 
ed, the fact of his so doing precludes the dealer 
from exacting such penalty. 

64. If the dealer's partner, by touching a card 
or otherwise, suggest the play of a card from 
dummy, either of the adversaries may, but with- 



114 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 



out consultation, call on the dealer to play or 
not to play the card suggested. 

65. Dummy is not liable to the penalty for a 
revoke; and if he should revoke and the error be 
not discovered until the trick is turned and quitted, 
the trick stands good. 

66. When the dealer draws a card from his own 
hand, such card is not considered as played until 
actually quitted; but should he name or touch a 
card from the dummy hand, such card is considered 
as played unless the dealer, in touching the card 
or cards, says " I arrange " or words to that effect. 

CARDS EXPOSED BEFORE PLAY 

67. If, after the deal has been completed, and 
before the trump declaration has been made, 
either the dealer or his partner expose a card from 
his hand, either adversary may without consulting 
his partner claim a new deal. 

68. If, after the deal has been completed, and 
before a card is led, any player shall expose a card, 
his partner shall forfeit the right to double or re- 
double; and in case of a card being so exposed by 
the leader's partner, the dealer may either call the 
card, or require the leader not to lead the suit of 
the exposed card. 



THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 



CARDS EXPOSED DURING PLAY 

69. All cards exposed by the dealer's adver- 
saries are liable to be called, and such cards must 
be left face upward on the table. 

70. The following are exposed cards: 

1st. Two or more cards played at once. 

2d. Any card dropped with its face upward, or in any 
way exposed on or above the table, even though 
snatched up so quickly that no one can name it. 

3d. Every card so held by a player that his partner 
can see any portion of its face. 

71. A card dropped on the floor or elsewhere 
below the table is not an exposed card. 

72. If two or more cards be played at once by 
either of the dealer's adversaries, the dealer shall 
have the right to call which one he pleases to the 
current trick, and the other card or cards shall 
remain face upward on the table and may be de- 
manded at any time. 

73. If, without waiting for his partner to play, 
either of the dealer's adversaries should play on 
the table the best card or lead one which is a 
winning card, as against the dealer and dummy, 
or should continue (without waiting for his part- 
ner to play) to lead several such cards, the dealer 
may demand that the partner of the player in fault, 
win, if he can, the first, or any other of these tricks ; 
and the other cards thus improperly played are 
exposed cards. 



Il6 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 



74. If either or both of the dealer's adversaries 
throw his or their cards on the table face upward, 
such cards are exposed and are liable to be called ; 
but if either adversary retain his hand he cannot 
be forced to abandon it. If, however, the dealer 
should say, " I have the rest," or any other words 
indicating that the remaining tricks are his, he 
may be requested to place his cards face upward 
on the table. The adversaries of the dealer are 
not liable to have any of their cards called should 
they expose them believing the dealer's claim to 
be true, should it subsequently prove false. Cards 
exposed by the dealer are not liable to be called. 

75. If a player who has rendered himself liable 
to have the highest or lowest of a suit called (Laws 
82, 91 and 99) fail to play as directed, or if, when 
called on to lead one suit, he lead another having 
in his hand one or more cards of the suit demand- 
ed (Law 76) or if called upon to win or lose a 
trick, he fail to do so when he can (Laws 73, 82 
and 100) he is liable to the penalty for revoke, 
unless such play be corrected before the trick is 
turned and quitted. 

LEADS OUT OF TURN 

76. If either of the dealer's adversaries lead out 
of turn, the dealer may either call the card erron- 
eously led, or may call a suit when it is next the 
turn of either adversary to lead. 



THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 



117 



77. If the dealer lead out of turn, either from 
his own hand, or from dummy, he incurs no pen- 
alty; but he may not rectify the error after the 
second hand has played. 

78. If any player lead out of turn and the other 
three follow, the trick is complete and the error 
cannot be rectified; but if only the second or 
second and third play to the false lead their cards 
may be taken back; there is no penalty against 
any one except the original offender, who, if he 
be one of the dealer's adversaries, may be penal- 
ised as provided in Law 76. 

79. In no case can a player be compelled to play 
a card which would oblige him to revoke. 

80. The call of an exposed card may be repeated 
at every trick until such card has been played. 

81. If a player called on to lead a suit have none 
of it, the penalty is paid. 

CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR 

82. Should the fourth hand (not being dummy 
or dealer) play before the second has played to the 
trick, the latter may be called upon to play his 
highest or lowest card of the suit played, or to win 
or lose the trick. 

83. If any one, not being dummy, omit playing 
to a former trick and such error be not corrected 
until he has played to the next, the adversaries 



Il8 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 

may claim a new deal ; should they decide that the 
deal stands good the surplus card at the end of the 
hand is considered to have been played to the im- 
perfect trick, but does not constitute a revoke 
therein. 

84. If any one (except dummy) play two cards 
to the same trick and the mistake be not corrected 
until the hand is played out, he is answerable for 
any consequent revokes he may have made. If 
during the play of the hand, the error be detected, 
the tricks may be counted face downward, in order 
to ascertain whether there be among them a card 
too many; should this be the case, the trick which 
contains a surplus card may be examined and the 
card restored to its original holder, who (not being 
dummy) shall be liable for any revoke he may 
meanwhile have made. 

THE REVOKE 

85. Should a player (other than dummy) holding 
one or more cards of the suit led, play a card of a 
different suit, he revokes. The penalty for a 
revoke takes precedence of all other counts. 

86. Three tricks taken from the revoking player 
and added to those of the adversaries shall be the 
penalty for a revoke. 

87. The penalty is applicable only to the score 
of the game in which it occurs. 



THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE II9 

88. Under no circumstances can the revoking 
side score game, slam or little slam in that hand. 
Whatever their previous score may have been, 
the side revoking cannot attain a higher score 
towards game than twenty-eight. 

89. A revoke is established if the trick in v/hich 
it occurs be turned and quitted, /. ^. , the hand re- 
moved from the trick after it has been gathered 
and placed face downward on the table; or if 
either the revoking player or his partner, whether 
in his right turn or otherwise, has led or played 
to the following trick. 

90. A player may ask his partner if he has no 
card of the suit which he has renounced; should 
the question be asked before the trick is turned 
and quitted, subsequent turning and quitting does 
not establish a revoke; and the error may be 
corrected unless the question be answered in the 
negative, or unless the revoking player or his 
partner has led or played to the following trick. 

91. If a player correct his mistake in time to 
save a revoke, any player or players who have 
followed him may withdraw their cards and sub- 
stitute others, and the cards so withdrawn are not 
exposed cards. If the player in fault be one of 
the dealer's adversaries, the card played in error 
is an exposed card and the dealer can call it when- 
ever he pleases; or he may require the offender to 



I20 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 

play his highest or lowest card of the suit to the 
trick in which he has renounced; but this penalty 
cannot be exacted from the dealer. 

92. At the end of a hand the claimants of a re- 
voke may search all the tricks. If the cards have 
been mixed the claim may be urged and proved 
if possible; but no proof is necessary and the 
revoke is established if, after it has been claimed, 
the accused player or his partner mix the cards 
before they have been sufficiently examined by 
the adversaries. 

93. A revoke must be claimed before the cards 
have been cut for the following deal. 

94. Should the players on both sides subject 
themselves to the revoke penalty neither can win 
the game by that hand. 

95. The revoke penalty may be claimed for as 
many revokes as occur during a hand; but in 
no event can more than thirteen tricks be scored 
in any one hand. (See Law 7.) 

GENERAL RULES 

96. There should not be any consultation be- 
tween partners as to the enforcement of penalties. 
If they do so consult the penalty is paid. 

97. Once a trick is complete, turned and quitted 
it must not be looked at (except under Law 84) 
until the end of the hand. 



THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 121 



98. Any player during the play of a trick or 
after the four cards are played, and before they 
are touched for the purpose of gathering them 
together, may demand that the cards be placed 
before their respective players. 

99. If either of the dealer's adversaries, prior 
to his partner's playing, should call attention to 
the trick, either by saying it is his, or without 
being requested so to do, by naming his card or 
drawing it toward him, the dealer may require 
that opponent's partner to play his highest or 
lowest card of the suit led, or to win or lose the 
trick. 

100. Should either of the dealer's adversaries, 
during the play of a hand, make any unauthorized 
reference to any incident of the play, or should 
he call his partner's attention to the fact that he 
is about to play or lead out of turn, the dealer 
may call a suit from the adversary whose turn it 
is next to lead. 

101. In all cases where a penalty has been 
incurred the offender is bound to give reasonable 
time for the decision of his adversaries; but if a 
wrong penalty be demanded none can be enforced. 

102. Where the dealer or his partner has incur- 
red a penalty, one of his adversaries may say, 
''Partner, will you exact the penalty or shall I?" 



122 THE AMERICAN LAWS OF BRIDGE 

but whether this is said or not, if either adversary 
name the penalty, his decision is final. 

NEW CARDS 

103. Unless a pack be imperfect, no player 
shall have the right to call for one new pack. If 
fresh cards are demanded two packs must be 
furnished, and paid for by the player who has 
demanded them. If they are furnished during a 
rubber, the adversaries shall have the choice of 
the new cards. If it is the beginning of a new 
rubber the dealer, whether he or one of his ad- 
versaries be the party calling for the new cards, 
shall have the choice. New cards must be called 
for before the pack be cut for a new deal. 

104. A card or cards torn or marked must be 
replaced by agreement or new cards furnished. 

BYSTANDERS 

105. While a bystander, by agreement among 
the players, may decide any question, yet he must 
on no account say anything unless appealed to; 
and if he make any remark which calls attention 
to an oversight affecting the score, or to the exac- 
tion of a penalty, he is liable to be called on by 
the players to pay the stakes on that rubber. 



LEADS OUT OF TURN BY DEALER 



In the old Bridge days when the dealer led 
out of turn he was penalized, and the rule is still 
in existence which punishes the adversaries when 
they lead out of turn. At present there is no 
punishment inflicted upon the dealer if he leads 
out of turn, and it is now a question much dis- 
cussed whether an intentional lead out of turn 
by the dealer is a leg^itimate play. Almost all old 
Bridge players will say that such a lead on the 
part of the dealer is an illegitimate trick. It is a 
question about which different players very honest- 
ly disagree. In some of the clubs it is considered 
all right for the dealer to lead out of turn, and if 
the lead is not noticed and an advantage derives 
therefrom, it becomes a matter upon which dealer 
and dummy congratulate each other and a source 
of amusement to the bystanders. So much is this 
the case that a custom has arisen of giving the 
adversaries the right to decide whether the wrong 
lead shall stand. For instance, if it is the turn of 
the dealer to lead out of his own hand and he 
leads from dummy, the player at the leader's right 
customarily asks his partner: "Partner, do you 
want the lead to come from that hand? " and if the 



124 



SPADE CONVENTIONS 



reply is in the affirmative the dealer is forced to 
have his lead stand. 

The question involved is one which will doubt- 
less be settled by established custom within two 
or three years. Meanwhile, each club or set of 
players has somewhat ill-defined rules to govern 
the situation. 

SPADE CONVENTIONS 

The tendency among Bridge players at the 
present time to limit the playing of spades is 
decidedly marked. It was once the custom at 
some of the clubs to insist upon the playing out 
of spades when the score of either side totalled 
20, but lately this limit has been raised to 24, and 
the custom has also arisen of not playing unless 
the score of the side making spades is at least 24. 
That is, if A and B are 16 and X and Y are 26, 
then if A or B makes the trump spades, the hand 
is not played unless doubled. 

In order to suppress a tendency on the part of 
some players toward undue doubling of spades, a 
custom has arisen of penalizing the doublers 
unless they succeed in winning the odd trick. To 
accomplish this purpose it was suggested that 
where the spade make was doubled and the side 
doubling did not win, that thirty in honors should 



SPADE CONVENTIONS 



be added to the score of the opponents. This 
method of play has been adopted at the Dunwoodie 
Club and some other clubs. 

The drift of Bridge playing sentiment is very 
strongly against the waste of time which spade 
doubling involves. A very large portion of spade 
doubles are unnecessary and some mild form of 
punishment will undoubtedly come into general 
use. These customs are not yet crystallized into 
Bridge laws, but they will undoubtedly take form 
in the future. (See Rule 3.) 



Dunwoodie Country Club 

DUNWOODIE. N. Y. 

(WESTCHESTER CO.) 



Edwin K. Martin 
President 

Walter W, Lee H. J. Kaltenback 

ist Vice-President 2d Vice-President 

Fred. J. Ross David H. Thomas 

Secretary Treasurer 



GOVERNORS 

Terms Expiring in igii 
Edwin K. Martin D. DeWolf Wever 

Steven B. Ayres W. R. Moon 

F. J. Ross 

Terms Expiring in igio 
Walter W. Lee David H. Thomas 

Dyer B, Holmes H. R. Caraway 

Terms Expiring in igog 
A. J. Watson W. E. Conklyn 

Edward Rode H. J. Kaltenback 

H. H. Buckley 



